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IMiorjptntj. 


A TREATISE 


HELIOCHROMY; 

OR, 

%\t  frokrtiou  of  f kirns, 

BY  MEANS  OF  LIGHT, 

IN  NATURAL  COLORS. 

EMBRACING 

gi  Jfall,  pam,  anb  Knrmrfreb  Jcscripiiow 

, OF  THE  PROCESS  KNOWN  AS 

THE  HILLOTYPE, 

INCLUDING  THE  AUTHOR’S  NEWLY  DISCOVERED 

C0LL0DI0-CHK0IE, 

OR  NATURAL  COLORS  ON  COLLODIONIZED  GLASS. 


TOGETHER  WITH 

fitrfous  froassts  for  gMral  €s\m, 

ON  PAPER,  VELVET,  PARCHMENT,  SILK,  MUSLIN,  PORCELAIN, 
WOOD,  &c., 

AND  ELABORATE  ESSAYS 

ON  THE  THEORY  OF  LIGHT  AND  COLORS,  THE  CHEMISTRY  OF  HELIO- 
CHROMY, AND  THE  ENTIRE  RANGE  OF  THE  AUTHOR’S  NINE 
YEARS’  EXPERIENCE  IN  SUN  COLORING. 


BY  L.  L.  HILL. 

OF  WESTKILL,  GREENE  CO.,  N.  Y. 


PUBLISHED  BY  ROBINSON  & CASWELL, 

51  CHAMBERS  STREET,  N.  Y. 


1856. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1856,  by 
ROEINSON  & CASWELL, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern 
District  of  New  York. 


Printed  by  R.  Craighead, 
58  Yesey  street. 


PREFACE. 


f A Preface  should  be  brief.  It  is  not  in  good  taste  for 
an  author  to  puff  his  own  book ; and  prefaces,  as  generally 
written,  are  most  egregious  laudations  of  the  author’s 
production. 

I will  not  indulge  in  so  unpalatable  an  imposition  on  the 
reader’s  good  sense ; but  I will  be  bold  enough  to  say,  that 
this  book,  with  all  its  imperfections,  is  about  as  well  got 
up  as  could  be  expected.  The  theme  is  original,  and  of 
course,  I have  had  very  little  help  from  other  writers. 
Alone,  almost  without  chart  or  compass,  I have  discovered 
and  explored  a new  and  beautiful  art  region.  For  long 
years  I have  traversed  this  bewitching  clime,  this  magic 
land,  this  “Beulah”  of  Photography ; and  if,  after  all  my 
exciting  revels,  I have  given  a correct  description  of  the 
“ beauties  of  the  place,”  I beg  pardon  of  all  the  unmerciful 
critics,  when  I say  that  I have  a claim  on  their  kind  for- 
bearance. 


yi 


PREFACE. 


Success  and  immortal  honor  to  the  next  adventurer, 
whoever  he  may  be,  who  shall  go  where  I have  been,  and 
who,  perhaps,  shall  dive  into  regions  beyond,  and  bring 
back  garlands  of  exceeding  and  unfading  beauty.  Hence- 
forth may  the  progress  of  the  Heliochrome  be  onward,  and 
may  the  time  be  near  when  it  shall  crown  with  an  ambro- 
sial diadem  every  other  branch  of  the  Photographic  Art. 

Westeell,  Greene  Co.,  N.  Y., 

June  19  th,  1856. 


L.  L.  HILL. 


Cotttmte 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 

CHAPTER  I.  ] 

Place  of  his  Birth — His  Parents — Murder  of  his  Father — Apprentice  at  Print- 
ing— McNaughton,  the  Scotch  Artist — Christian  Experience,  and  call  to 
the  Ministry — Works  for  Horace  Greeley — Remarks  on  Greeley — Studies 
for  the  Ministry — Becomes  Pastor  at  New  Baltimore — Courtship  and  Mar- 
riage— The  Mountain  Girl — Ministry  at  Westkill — Antinomianism — Anti- 
Rent  War — Plain  Preaching — Becomes  Publisher — Removes  to  Saugerties 
— Attacked  with  the  Bronchitis — Quits  Preaching — Goes  to  Daguerrreotyp- 
ing — Early  Lessons  in  the  Art — The  Blues,  the  Fog,  the  Blacks. — Travel- 
ling Daguerreotypist — Good  Success — Durand  the  Artist — Called  Home — 
The  Hurricane — Views  of  Medicine — Begins  Experimenting  for  the  Na- 
, tural  Colors — Treatise  on  Daguerreotype — The  Magic  Buff — Photographic 
Researches — Pupils — Pecuniary  Affairs 1 

CHAPTER  II. 

Experimenting — Difficulties  in  the  Way — Groping  in  Darkness — Friends 
Laugh — The  Philosophers — Wife  Aids — Laughable  Experiments- — Wife  has 
the  Consumption — A peculiar  mode  of  Treatment,  by  which  her  life  was 
greatly  prolonged,  briefly  detailed — Poisons — Explosions — Friendly  Cau- 
tions— The  first  Picture  in  Colors — Excitement  of  Mind — Second  Picture  in 
Colors — The  Announcement — Effect  on  the  Public  Mind — Injury  to  the 
Daguerreotype  Business — Eight  thousand  Letters — Visitors — Speculators 
— Offers  of  large  sums  of  Money — The  Press — Course  of  the  Photographic 
Journals — The  “ Infernal  Committee” — Life  Threatened — My  Revolver — 
Its  Amusing  History — Col.  Pratt’s  Dog — The  Midnight  Alarm — Narrow 


vm 


CONTENTS. 


Escape  of  the  Enemy — Westkill  Police — Watchman’s  Rattle — Friends — M. 
A.  Root,  Wm.  M.  Marshall,  Prof.  Morse,  and  others — Visitors  and  Visita- 
tions— Glass  Silvering — <$5,000  turning  on  a piece  of  India-rubber  Cloth — 
Reflectors  for  Cameras — The  Pantotype — Beautiful  method  of  making 
Daguerreotype  Plates— The  Chromatint,  fully  detailed— My  Second  Mar- 
riage— -A  piece  of  unlooked  for  Experience — That  “ foulest  whelp  of  sin,” 
Slander— Human  Nature  in  its  blackest  apparel 22 


TREATISE  ON  HELIOCHROMY. 

[ CHAPTER  I. 

Light — Various  theories — Atomic  and  Wave  Theories — Properties  of  Light — 
Actinic  Principle  in  Light — The  Photogenic  Ray .39 

CHAPTER  II. 

Chromatics — Light  a compound  of  Colored  Rays — Proof  by  the  Prism — Iri- 
descence-Coloring Matter  and  the  Chromatic  Rays — Porosity  of  Matter — 
Curious  Properties  of  Various  Bodies— Mica — Mother  of  Pearl — Iodide  of 
Mercury — The  Soap  Bubble — Coating  of  the  Daguerreotype  Plate — Iodine 
Rings — Metallo-Chromes — Potatoe  growing  above  Ground — Plants  grown 
in  Darkness — Autumnal  Leaves — Varnish  on  Water — Chlorophyle — These 
instances  partly  Mechanical  and  Chemical — Can  a Surface  be  prepared  on 
which  Light  itself  will  produce  similar  changes. 4 6 


CHAPTER  III. 

Heliochrome  possible — Opinions  of  Philosophers — Biot,  Daguerre,  Nice- 
phore  Niepce,  Sir  John  Herschel,  Sir  Robert  Hunt— Vulgar  Opinions— 
Argument  a priori — Chemical  Compounds,  Decomposition,  and  Reduction 
caused  or  assisted  by  light. 56 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Antiquity— The  Jugglers  of  Ancient  India — The  Alchemists — Chloride  of  Sil- 
ver— Scheele — -M.  Berard — Seebeck — Berthollet — Sir  William  Herschel — 
Wollaston’s  Experiments  on  Gum  Guiacum— Sir  Humphrey  Davy- — Oxyde 
of  Lead— The  Action  of  the  Colored  Rays — W edge  wood  and  Davy’s  First 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


Pictures — Daguerre  and  Niepce’s  First  Experiments — Their  Copartnership 
— The  Bitumen  Process — Discovery  of  the  Daguerreotype — Action  of  the 
French  Government — Talbot  and  his  Process — The  First  Portrait  from 
Life — Prof.  Morse — Daguerre,  Niepce,  Talbot,  Sir  John  Herscliel,  and  Sir 
Robert  Hunt,  work  for  the  Colors— Iridescence— Complementary  Colors — 
Becquerel — Niepce  de  St.  Victor — My  claim  to  Priority  fully  Examined — • 
The  United  States  Senate — My  Early  Pictures — The  “ Infernal  Committee” 
— Certificates .61 


CHAPTER  V. 

Various  Processes — Sir  John  Herschel’s  Anthotype — Robert  Hunt’s  Pro- 
cesses— Ferrocyanide  paper — Bi-Chromate  of  Potash — Hydriodated  Pa- 
per— Copying  a green  Leaf — M.  Edmund  Becquerel’s  process — M.  Niepce 
de  Saint  Victor’s  process— These  processes  fully  and  fairly  detailed 93 


CHAPTER  VL 

CHEMISTRY  OF  HELIOCHROMY. 

Natural  Colorific  Agents. — Esculent  Vegetables. — Carrots — -Beets — Onions 
— Radishes — Squash — Pumpkin — Watermelon — Tomatoes — Lettuce — Cab 
bage — Red  Peppers— Asparagus — Rhubarb — Sage.  Fruits. — Peach— Cherry 
— Apple — Strawberry — Blackberry — Raspberry — Sumac  Bobs — Currants 
—Grapes — Bittersweet — Sunflower  Seeds — Pokeberries — Elderberries — 
Whortleberries — Squawberries.  Flowers — Red  Rose — Peony — Poppy — Dah. 
lia — Marigold — Violet — Tiger  Lily — Tulips — Peach  Blows — Sky  Rocket 
— Lilac^— Dandelions — Daisies — St.  John’s  Wort.  Grasses  and  Leaves. — 
Red-top  Clover — Ribbon  Grass — Leaves  of  Willow — Sugar  Maple — Peach 
— Butternut. 

Artificial  Colorific  Agents. — The  Metals. — Gold — Silver — Copper — Platina 
— Iron — Zinc — Lead — Antimony — Arsenic — Osmium  — Iridium — Cobalt  — 
Selenium — Mercury — Tin — Bismuth — Nickel  — Potassium — Sodium — Alu- 
minum— Their  Alloys.  The  Salts  of  Metals. — Nitrate,  Chloride,  Bromide, 
Iodide,  Fluoride,  Ammoniuret,  Fulminate,  Citrate,  Silvate,  Cyanide,  Hy- 
posulphite, Phosphate,  Carbonate,  Borate,  Chromate,  and  Alumina  of  Silver 
— Chlorides  of  Gold,  Copper,  Zinc,  Lead,  Iridium,  Cobalt,  &c. — Iodide  and 
Bromide  of  Gold,  Silver,  Lead,  <fec. 

The  Acids. — Nitric,  Sulphuric,  Sulphurous,  Hydrochloric,  Hydrofluoric, 
Citric,  Iodic,  Bromic,  Tartaric,  Uric,  Gallic,  Pyro-Gallic,  Nitrous,  Acetic, 
&c. 

The  Alkalies. — Soda,  Baryta,  Lime,  and  Strontia,  and  their  combinations. 

The  Gases  and  Vapors. — Chlorine,  Hydrogen,  Selenium,  Phosphorous  Vapor, 
Phosphuretted  Hydrogen,  Oxygen,  Oxyde,  Nitrous  Oxyde,  Hyponitric 
Acid  Vapor 100 


X 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VIL 

EXPERIMENTS  ON  THE  DAGUERREOTYPE  PLATE, 

Colors  produced  on  the  rotative  principle. — The  iodized,  bromo-iodized,  and 
chloro-iodized  plate,  each  give  these  colors. — Mercury,  at  various  tempera 
tures — impinging  at  angles — alloyed. — The  electrotyped,  blanched,  oxy- 
dized,  grained,  and  greased  plate. — New  Developers. — Vapors  of  Zinc,  Tin, 
Bismuth,  Antimony,  Arsenic,  Molybdenum,  Gold,  Silver,  Copper,  Platina, 
Iridium,  and  Iron. — The  Oxy-hydrogen  Blowpipe. — Eliopole  Lamp. — Vol- 
taic flame. — Screens  of  Platina  Gauue. — The  Gases — Sulphuric,  Nitric, 
Phosphuretted  Hydrogen,  Sulphuretted  Hydrogen,  Hydrogen,  &c. — The 
reversed  Daguerreotype  process. — Undercoatings,  with  Bromine,  Chlorine, 
Per-fluoride  of  Chrome,  Chlorochromic  Acid,  Carbonaceous  Glaze. — Iodized 
Mercury  Surface,  developed  with  the  vapor  of  Silver. — Colored  Light  for 
Developing  .......  129 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  VARIOUS  METALS. 

Tin,  iodized  and  chloridated.— Copper,  iodized,  and  colors  developed 
with  a gas. — Pictures  in  colors  on  Brass. — Singular  behavior  of  Brass 
to  the  vapor  of  Mercury. — Lead. — Its  iodide  rendered  heliochromic. — 
Iron  and  Steel,  their  extraordinary  colorific  susceptibility. — Zinc,  employ- 
ment of  its  vapor.— Nickel,  Bismuth,  and  Antimony. — German  Silver, 
Prince’s  Metal,  and  Britannia. — Thrilling  experiments  with  their  alloys. — - 
The  Alloy  Plate.— Vapor  of  Arsenic. — Iridium. ....  135 


CHAPTER  IX. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  THE  SALTS  OF  THE  METALS. 

Nitrate  of  Silver.— Great  variety  of  processes  by  its  means. — White  Chlo- 
ride of  Silver. — Colored  by  the  red  ray. — Violet  Chloride  of  Silver. — 
Its  remarkable  properties. — Chloro- Chromate  of  Silver — for  Helio- 
chromes on  Paper.— How  developed.— Colors  strengthened  by  Hyposul- 
phite of  Gold.— Chromate  of  Copper— for  Heliocliromes  in  Red,  Orange, 
Yellow,  and  Green. — Singular  mode  of  developement. — Per-Manganate  of 
Potash. — A “Chameleon”  under  Colored  Light. — Chloride  of  Barium — 
its  extraordinary  Colorific  effects. — Process  with  Silica. — Fluoride  of  Cal- 
cium and  Precipitated  Silver 138 


k. 


CONTENTS.  XI 

CHAPTER  X. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  VEGETABLE  JUICES. 

Red  rose, violet,  marigold, dandelion,  dahlia,  poppy,  and  peony,  their  coloring 
matter  imparted  to  paper,  sensitive  to  their  colored  rays. — Otto  of  rose  an 
accelerator. — Instantaneous  colored  impressions  on  collodion,  impregnated 
with  the  spirituous  extract  ©f  the  coloring  matter  of  red  poppy,  clover 
blows,  horse-chestnut  leaves,  etc. — Means  of  acceleration  by  sulphuretted 
air. — The  heliochromy  of  the  autumnal  tints  imitated. — Xanthophyl. — The 
coloring  matter  of  leaves  acted  upon  simultaneously  by  a freezing  mixture 
and  light. — The  coloring  matters  of  the  blood  beet,  carrot,  and  red  cabbage, 
give  pictures  in  red,  blue,  yellow,  and  green. — Interesting  results  with  the 
red  tomato,  strawberries,  and  collodion  — Red  top  grass.  — Potato  starch 
and  poke  berries. — Bitter-sweet,  blackberries,  squawberries,  and  muriate 
of  tin. — Alum  as  a mordant  foT  vegetable  colors . .144 


CHAPTER  XL 

NATURAL  COLORS  ON  PAPER. 

Several  methods  of  Silvering  Paper. — Hydrogen  Gas  and  Chloridated  Paper. 
— Chromate  of  Copper  Paper:  how  developed. — Interesting  process  with 
Chameleon  Mineral,  Chromate  of  Potash,  Alum,  and  Nitrate  of  Silver. — ■ 
Litmus  Paper  rendered  Heliochromic. — Paper  Heliochromes  intensified.  . . 

147 

CHAPTER  XII. 

HELIOCHROMES  ON  TEXTILE  FABRICS. 

Beautiful  proeess  on  Cotton  Cloth,  linen,  or  Silk,  applied  to  the  manufacture 
of  Window  Shades,  and  other  Transparencies,  in  Colors. — Silk  prepared  with 
Nitrate  of  Silver  and  Per-muriate  of  Tin,  and  the  picture  developed  with  a 
.compound  of  Chromic  Acid. ...  150 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

NATURAL  COLORS  ON  GLASS. 

Albuminate  of  Silver. — Blue  Collodion  — The  Chromates  and  Collodion. — Beau- 
tiful Silvering  of  Collodion  by  precipitation  of  the  metal. — Splendid  Scarlet 
Red. — Coating  of  Collodion  bleached  by  light,  and  giving  colors  in  great 

l strength  and  purity. — Method  of  developing  these  Pictures 152 


Xll 


CONTENTS. 


As  a Formula.- 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  HILLOTYPE. 

—The  Formula  explained. — My  method  of  working  the  Formula. 

155 

CHAPTER  XV. 

MISCELLANY. 

My  Ambrotype  Process — My  Photographic  Process — My  Instantaneous  Print- 
ing Process — My  Transparent  Process — My  Toning  Process 163 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PHOTOGRAPHS. 


The  House — The  Village — The  Author. 


174 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Place  of  his  Birth — His  Parents — Murder  of  his  Father — Apprentice  at  Print' 
ing — McNaughton,  the  Scotch  Artist — Christian  Experience,  and  call  to 
the  Ministry — Works  for  Horace  Greeley — Impressions  of  Greeley — Studies 
for  the  Ministry — Becomes  Pastor  at  New  Baltimore — Courtship  and  Mar- 
riage— The  Mountain  Girl — Ministry  at  Westkill — Antinomianism — Anti- 
Rent  War — Plain  Preaching — Becomes  Publisher — Removes  to  Saugerties 
— Attacked  with  the  Bronchitis — Quits  Preaching — Goes  toDaguerrreotyp- 
ing — Early  Lessons  in  the  Art — The  Blues,  the  Fog,  the  Blacks* — Travel- 
ling Daguerreotypist — Good  Success — Durand  the  Artist — Called  Home — 
The  Hurricane — Views  of  Medicine — Begins  Experimenting  for  the  Na- 
tural Colors — Treatise  on  Daguerreotype — The  Magic  Buff — Photographic 
Researches — Pupils — Pecuniary  Affairs. 


I was  born  in  the  village  of  Athens,  Greene  Co.,  New  York,  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1816.  My  father,  Lee  Lawrence  Hill,  was  a Com- 
missary in  the  Army  of  1812-13,  and  was  brought  home  wounded 
by  three  bullets,  two  of  which  he  carried  in  his  flesh  till  he  died. 
In  the  month  of  July,  1828,  he  was  murdered  by  the  hands  of 
three  young  men,  as  we  of  the  family  are  well  satisfied,  for  the 
gratification  of  a family  spite,  growing  out  of  some  legal  difficul- 
ties. Thus,  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  I was  left  under  the  care 
of  my  mother,  and  few  lads  were  ever  as  well  cared  for  as  I was 

1 


2 


HELIOCHROMY. 


by  her.  Wisely,  piously,  and  assiduously,  did  she  fulfil  her  mis- 
sion towards  a large  family  of  children. 

At  the  age  of  thirteen  years,  I was  placed  an  apprentice  at 
printing,  in  the  office  of  the  Hudson  Gazette , to  which  city  our 
family  had  removed  previous  to  my  father’s  death.  There, 
under  the  kind  care  of  Hiram  Wilbur,  Esq.,  I soon  became  an 
expert  typo,  and  in  his  amiable  family  was,  I dare  say,  as  happy 
as  Ben.  Franklin  in  the  palmiest  days  of  his  minority.  After  re 
maining  with  Mr.  Wilbur  about  two  years,  I became  clerk  in  a 
store,  but  after  a few  months  returned  to  typography,  in  the  office 
of  the  Rural  Repository.  While  in  the  store,  I fell  acquainted 
with  James  McNaughton,  Esq.,  a Scotch  artist  of  no  small  dis- 
tinction. From  him  I learned  the  first  rudiments  of  drawing  and 
painting — miniature  painting,  particularly.  I remember,  dis- 
tinctly, that  on  seeing  him  at  work  on  a miniature  of  one  of  my 
sisters,  I felt  that  I could  willingly  part  with  my  left  hand,  if  by 
so  doing  my  right  hand  could  be  trained  to  the  beautiful  art. 
Mr.  McNaughton  afterwards  removed  to  the  city  of  New  York, 
and  after  the  lapse  of  a few  months  I followed  him  thither,  with  a 
view  of  placing  myself  under  his  care  and  tuition.  Being  a 
stranger  in  the  great  metropolis,  I searched  for  my  friend  in  vain 
for  many  days.  The  most  I could  learn  about  him  was  that  he 
had  been  very  sick  with  inflammatory  rheumatism,  and  was  re- 
duced to  great  poverty.  One  day  in  my  rambles  in  Broadway,  I 
was  pushing  my  inquiries  among  the  artists,  and  in  the  studio  of 
a miniature  painter  my  eye  rested  upon  one  of  McNaughton’s 
off-hand  sketches,  upon  the  merits  of  which  the  artist  and  some 
friends  were  expatiating  in  terms  of  high  compliment.  From 
them  I learned  that  the  object  of  my  search  was  in  the  hospital, 
sick  with  the  small-pox.  My  dread  of  this  horrible  disease  was 
intense  ; but  having  been  vaccinated,  I repaired  at  once  to  the 
hospital.  After  pressing  my  suit  for  some  time,  I was  admitted 
to  his  room.  He  knew  me  at  once,  and  exclaimed — “ Gracious 
God  ! my  dear  boy,  what  brought  you  here  !”  “To  see  you, 
and  try  to  comfort  you,”  was  my  reply.  “ Bless  God,”  said  he, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


3 


“ out  of  all  my  acquaintances  this  side  of  the  great  ocean,  I have 
one  friend.”  He  then  told  me  that  he  was  going  to  die,  and 
directed  me  where  to  find  a miniature  of  himself,  his  easel,  his 
paints,  his  brushes,  all  which  he  gave  me  as  his  last  legacy.  I 
visited  him  several  times  after  this,  gave  him  twenty  dollars  in 
money  (nearly  all  I had),  and  when  I called  the  last  time,  I 
learned  that  he  was  dead  and  buried.  Were  it  possible  to  recall 
our  friends  from  the  dead,  James  McNaughton,  the  friend  of  my 
early  days,  the  man  who  first  developed  in  my  soul  a passion 
for  delineation  in  color , would  be  one  of  the  first  I should 
summon. 

Soon  after  this,  our  family  having  removed  to  the  village  of 
Kingston,  I entered  the  office  of  the  Ulster  Plebeian , where  I re- 
mained over  a year.  The  family  of  the  amiable  editor,  John 
Tappan,  Esq.,  were  a second  Wilbur  family  to  me,  and  I shall 
never  forget  their  old-fashioned  Dutch  intelligence  and  kindness. 
During  my  stay  with  Mr.  Tappan  I occupied  most  of  my  leisure 
hours  in  study.  The  method  I pursued  was  somewhat  novel, 
and  exceedingly  profitable  to  me.  Whatever  subjects  of  interest 
I put  in  type  through  the  day,  I investigated  at  night.  Thus, 
my  daily  toils  formed  a portion  of  my  studies.  For  example — 
did  I “ set  up  ” an  anecdote  of  Franklin  ? — I read  his  life  that 
night ; an  article  on  the  “ Variations  of  the  Compass  V’ — that 
night  I turned  navigator ; was  the  subject  Murder — Matrimo- 
ny— Potatoes — Zoology — Sugar  Candy — Mexico — Tecumseh — 
Conchology — Peaches — Political  Economy — Prussian  Blue — 
Sealing-Wax — I swallowed  my  supper,  and  made  for  the  Ency- 
clopaedia. 

To  tell  the  whole  truth,  I had,  at  this  time,  an  associate  of 
rather  dissipated  habits.  He  was  possessed  of  a most  brilliant 
intellect,  and  might  have  been  a star  in  our  nation  ; but  he  died 
of  the  delirium  tremens.  The  talents  of  this  young  man  (who 
shall  be  nameless  here)  were  of  an  extraordinary  character.  He 
would  frequently,  after  a hard  day’s  work,  write  a “ Tale  ” for 
some  Magazine,  which  would  be  thankfully  accepted,  and  he 


4 


HELIOCHROMY. 


would  then  go  to  bed  drunk,  in  sight  of  the  morning  star,  work 
ten  hours  next  day,  and  write  a poem  at  night.  A poem  which 
he  wrote,  under  the  title  of  “ The  Carriers'  Address was  pro- 
nounced by  good  judges,  equal  to  Byron’s  best.  It  was  com- 
posed of  some  two  hundred  lines,  and  I am  witness  to  the  fact, 
that  he  composed  it  within  the  space  of  four  hours,  for  I put  it 
into  type.  Twenty  years  have  passed  since  my  acquaintance 
with  this  young  man,  and  I shall  never  cease  to  regret  that,  for 
a short  time,  I was  too  much  influenced  by  the  bad  part  of  his 
example. 

Soon  after  these  events,  I became  associated  with  a circle  of 
young  men  and  women  who  were  in  the  habit  of  attending  Bap- 
tist prayer  meetings.  I had  about  this  time  frequented  the 
Methodist  church,  where  I was  much  interested,  and  somewhat 
impressed,  by  the  preaching  of  the  Bev.  Mr.  Foss,  a minister  of 
fervent  piety  and  peculiar  eloquence.  Now  a powerful  revival 
commenced  among  my  young  friends,  and  I was  induced,  by 
their  urgent  entreaties,  to  go  and  see  what  the  Lord  was  doing. 
The  meetings  were  held  at  private  houses,  and  at  the  very  first 
I attended  I felt  that  God  was  in  the  place.  My  companions,  it 
seemed  to  me,  were  of  the  elect,  and  the  Lord  was  now  separat- 
ing them  unto  himself,  while  I was  to  be  left  behind.  Convic- 
tion for  sin  rolled  upon  my  mind  like  a mighty  wave,  but  I 
could  see  no  hope.  Despair — withering,  blighting  despair — 

seized  my  inmost  soul,  and  I felt  myself  sinking  to  the  deeps  of 
hell.  Long  years  ago  I had  promised  my  Maker  to  seek  his 
face — but  I had  broken  my  vows ; and  now  a voice  seemed  to 
say  : “ He  is  joined  to  his  idols  ; let  him  alone.”  Once,  in  par- 
ticular, while  I resided  in  the  city  of  Hudson,  I was  brought 
very  low,  and  the  Lord  heard  my  cry.  It  was  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  and,  contrary  to  the  express  injunction  of  my  mother,  I 
was  skating  on  the  frozen  river,  and  was  plunged  into  an  air- 
hole. I suffered  all  the  pangs  of  drowning,  but  was  rescued ; 
and  after  two  hours’  diligent  effort,  by  the  hands  of  strangers,  I 
was  restored.  While  in  the  water,  I felt  as  any  sinner  would 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


5 


be  likely  to  feel  under  similar  circumstances.  I vowed  most 
earnestly,  that  if  the  Lord  would  deliver  me  I would  serve  him 
all  the  days  of  my  life.  This  vow  I had  broken,  and  now,  after 
the  lapse  of  years,  it  weighed  heavy  upon  my  soul.  For  four 
days  and  nights  I could  neither  eat  nor  sleep — pleasure  lost  its 
charms  and  the  world  its  beauty,  and  wherever  I went  creation 
itself  seemed  frowning  and  howling  upon  the  reprobate.  But 
the  Spirit  of  God  did  not  leave  me ; I was  sweetly  led  out  of 
this  “ iron  cage  of  despair”  into  a “ large  place.”  Young  con- 
verts and  aged  saints  took  me  by  the  hand  and  led  me  to  Jesus ; 
and  I saw  the  loving  Lamb  of  God  by  the  eye  of  faith,  and  he 
did  not  frown,  but  accepted  the  “ weapons  of  my  rebellion,”  and 
filled  my  soul  with  “peace  in  believing,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Spirit.”  Blessed  and  adored  be  his  holy  name ! — that  “ glad 
hour”  was  to  me  the  beginning  of  “joys  that  cannot  be  ex- 
pressed.” It  may  seem  odd  to  some  of  my  brother  daguerreo- 
typists,  that  I should  tell  my  experience  in  a book  on  Helio- 
chromy ; but  this  simple  tale  will  hurt  nobody,  while  the  record 
of  it,  in  this  very  volume,  relieves  my  own  conscience.  I am  an 
imperfect  man;  but  God  only  knows  how  utterly  unendurable 
my  late  labors  and  trials  would  have  been,  had  I not  felt  that  I 
had  a God  to  go  to. 

Having  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  in  Kingston,  I found 
myself  most  pleasantly  employed  in  publishing  the  glad  news  of 
salvation  to  all  I met.  In  the  conference  meetings  especially,  I 
was  at  home  and  I can  truly  say  that  those  were  the  happiest 
days  of  my  life.  A few  months  after  my  union  with  the  church, 
I was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  I at  once  repaired  to 
the  Literary  and  Theological  Seminary  (now  Madison  Univer- 
sity) at  Hamilton,  Madison  Co.,  N.  Y.,  to  study  for  the  work. 
There  I remained  between  four  and  five  years ; and  then,  with 
a view  of  raising  funds  to  support  myself  in  theological  studies 
two  years  longer,  I went  to  work  at  my  trade  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  where  I remained  about  one  year.  The  star  of  Horace 
Greeley  was  then  rising  in  brilliancy,  and  I for  a short  time 


6 


HELIOCHROMY. 


immortalized  some  of  his  editorials  for  the  “ New  Yorker .”  My 
acquaintance  with  him  was  not  intimate,  but  I formed  a profound 
estimate  of  his  genius  and  amiability.  I also  worked  on  the 
“ Courier  and  Inquirer ,”  and  other  morning  papers,  where  I 
formed  the  abominable  habit  of  keeping  late  hours;  and  to  this 
day,  my  time  for  getting  sleepy  is  between  11  o’clock  p.m.  and 
1 o’clock  a.m.  While  at  Hamilton  I supported  myself  mainly 
by  my  earnings  during  the  vacations.  I received  some  assist- 
ance, however,  from  members  of  the  Kingston  Church,  among 
whom  I may  mention  Daniel  L.  Wells,  Reuben  Nichols,  John 
Newhouse,  and  Harvey  Otis — men  who  have  “ purchased  to 
themselves  a good  degree”  by  their  long  years  of  devotion  to 
the  Christian  cause.  I was  also  aided  by  the  Baptist  Church  at 
Sing  Sing,  which  I supplied  for  several  Sabbaths.  With  these 
limited  resources,  I was  compelled  to  live  very  economically. 
For  nearly  two  years  I united  with  my  room-mate  in  keeping 
bachelors’  hall.  The  average  cost  of  this  enterprise  was  three 
shillings  per  week  each.  Still,  our  fortunate  acquaintance  with 
several  good  housewives  in  the  village  added  not  a little  to  our 
stock  of  eatables,  and  we  would  occasionally  vary  the  bill  of  fare 
from  the  waters  of  a crystal  lake  in  the  neighborhood.  All  told, 
our  fare  was  good  enough  for  students,  and  I have  no  doubt  that 
if  all  mankind  were  to  live  as  we  did  then,  dyspepsia  and  hypo- 
chondria would  be  unknown. 

While  I was  at  work  in  New  York  I received  a visit  from  a 
committee  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  New  Baltimore , inviting  me 
to  become  their  pastor.  I had  been  gradually  reasoning  myself 
into  the  belief  that,  the  best  way  to  study  theology  is  for  a man 
to  take  his  Bible,  and  a few  good  books,  and  to  preach  as  fast  as 
he  learns,  and  I at  once  accepted  their  call.  This  was  in  the 
old  Merchants'  Exchange,  alongside  of  the  statue  of  Alexander 
Hamilton,  who,  as  I told  the  brethren,  was  good  enough  witness 
to  our  contract.  The  next  Sabbath  found  me  at  my  post,  where 
I was  welcomed  by  a large  congregation.  After  remaining  with 
that  church  a few  months,  I was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


7 


ministry*  by  an  Ecclesiastical  Council,  composed  of  delegates 
from  several  neighboring  cbnrcbes. 

Some  time  previous  to  these  events,  I had  visited  my  old 
friend,  Rev.  Isaac  Moore,  at  Westkill.  He  gave  out  an  ap- 
pointment for  me  to  preach  in  the  evening.  While  discoursing 
on  things  divine,  my  eyes  involuntarily  rested  on  a bright-eyed 
mountain  girl,  just  in  front  of  the  pulpit.  From  the  first  glance 
it  seemed  to  me  that  I could  preach  better  when  I was  looking 
that  way.  To  tell  the  honest  truth,  I fell  in  love  with  this  girl , 
and  the  next  day  I casually  saw  her  again  at  her  father’s  house, 
which  only  strengthened  the  sacred  passion.  Here  was  “ love  at 
first  sight,”  in  good  earnest.  I had  seen,  and  been  acquainted  with 
many  scores  of  beautiful  young  women,  but  never  till  then  had  I 
felt  that  peculiar  and  happy  pang  which  Cupid  gives,  when  he 
sends  his  arrow  through  and  through  the  heart.  After  this  I 
visited  Westkill  quite  frequently.  I became  quite  suddenly,  but 
no  less  permanently,  a complete  enthusiast  in  my  admiration  of 
mountain  scenery,  and  an  ardent  disciple  of  the  renowned  Isaac 
Walton  (who  treats  so  handsomely  on  trout-fishing ),  and  a great 
lover  of  evening  visits,  particularly  at  the  house  of  Philo  Busli- 
nell,  Esq.,  who  was  father  of  the  young  lady  referred  to — Miss 
Emeline  Bushnell. 

I have  always  tried  hard  to  be  a practical  man,  and  to  avoid 
the  adoption  of  visionary  and  useless  theories  and  sentimentali- 
ties. The  idea  of  loving  a lady  without  marrying  her,  I,  at  the 
above  period  especially,  regarded  as  a piece  of  great  nonsense. 
Therefore,  being  most  pleasantly  situated  at  Hew  Baltimore — 
enjoying  the  favor  of  the  people — having  a model  boarding-place 
— and  so  snugly  ensconced  in  a neat  little  sanctum,  where  I some- 
times got  lonely — I “ popped  the  question,”  and,  on  the  10th  of 
April,  1836,  married  the  “ mountain  girl.”  Since  then,  I have 
often  heard  it  from  her  own  lips  that  Cupid  paid  her  a visit 
simultaneously  with  his  capers  with  me.  However  this  may  be, 
I have  never  regretted  my  choice,  and  I am  not  joking  when  I 
recommend  this  method  of  getting  a wife.  The  plan  adopted  by 


8 


HELIOCHROMY . 


many  young  men,  of  searching,  and  scrutinizing,  and  courting, 
and  considering,  among  all  tlie  girls  in  the  nation,  with  a direct 
view  of  ascertaining  if  they  can  possibly  love  this,  that,  or  the 
other  one,  is  most  unnatural— for  true,  and  pure,  and  real 
“matches  ” are  “made  in  heaven ;”  and  were  I a young  lady, 
and  had  a thousand  hearts  to  give,  not  one  of  them  should  go  to 
the  young  gallant  who  required  six  months  to  determine  whether 
he  loved  me.  In  one  word,  matrimony  should  he  an  affair  of  the 
affections  ; not  a mathematical  problem,  and  much  less  a matter 
of  dollars  and  cents.  The  man  who  dodges  the  spirit  and  design 
of  this  holy  alliance,  by  marrying  for  money,  is  a wwetch,  who 
deserves  to  be  miserable  the  rest  of  his  days. 

Well,  blessed  with  the  smiles  and  counsels  of  my  young  bride, 
I was  very  happy  at  New  Baltimore.  After  remaining  there  a 
few  months  longer,  I felt  it  my  duty  to  accept  a call  from  the 
church  at  Westkill.  Here  I continued,  as  pastor,  for  nine  years , 
during  which  time  I experienced  much  of  the  “ Sunny  Side,”  as 
well  as  the  “ Shady  Side,”  of  that  relation.  My  preaching  was 
direct  and  plain,  and  designed  to  cut  its  way  with  conscience . 
Ever  since  I have  been  disabled  from  preaching,  it  has  been  a 
great  consolation  to  me  to  reflect  that  I never  “ sewed  pillows  to 
arm-holes,”  or  “ handled  the  word  of  God  deceitfully.”  I lite- 
rally “ cried  aloud,  and  spared  not,”  as  many  can  testify,  and  as 
my  poor  throat  has  been  testifying  for  the  last  seven  years. 
Had  I been  as  moderate  as  many  of  our  sleepy  sing-songs  of  the 
present  day,  I might  have  been  doling  out  the  Gospel  to  this 
day — or  I might  have  been  accursed  in  an  early  grave,  for  my 
indolence,  and  for  my  solemn  mockeries  of  the  awful  themes — I 
really  do  not  know  which.  How  a man,  with  vital  piety  at 
heart,  and  a commission  from  the  Great  I AM  in  his  hands,  and 
the  awful  realities  of  Sin,  Death,  Hell,  Heaven,  and  a Judgment 
Day  for  his  themes,  and  a concourse  of  eternity -bound  immortals 
before  him,  can  say  over  the  Gospel,  as  a dull  boy  would  say  a 
lesson,  is  a problem  which  some  of  our  doctors  of  divinity  would 
do  well  to  solve. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


9 


During  my  labors  in  Westkill,  the  cburcb  enjoyed  several 
migbty  outpourings  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Connected  with  these, 
and  with  my  pastorate  in  general,  were  many  incidents  of  an  in- 
teresting character.  Most  of  them  I will  pass  over ; the  few 
more  particularly  connected  with  the  leading  events  of  my  his- 
tory,  I may  be  pardoned  for  recording. 

My  salary  was  very  small,  never  exceeding  three  hundred 
dollars ; and  “ donation  visits”  were  not  at  first  in  vogue,  in  this 
then  hot-bed  of  antinomianism — an  ism,  which,  of  all  others,  is 
perhaps  least  inclined  to  liberality.  This  led  me  to  labor  with 
my  own  hands” — no  great  condescension,  verily,  in  a minister 
of  the  gospel,  seeing  Paul  did  the  same.  I procured  printing 
materials,  a good  supply  of  type,  and  an  old  “ Ramage  Press ,” 
and  commenced  the  publication  of  a little  semi-monthly,  called 
the  “ Christian  Repository .”  I obtained  a fair  circulation,  and 
realized  about  $ 500  profit  during  its  one-year  life.  Then  I 
abandoned  the  first  publication  ever  issued  among  the  Catshill 
Mountains , and  sent  forth  the  first  number  of  the  “ Baptist 
Library ,”  a reprint  of  standard  Baptist  works,  such  as  those  of 
Bunyan,  Keath,  Carson,  Hall,  and  Fuller.  This  idea  met  with 
universal  sympathy  throughout  our  churches.  The  first  men  in 
the  denomination  gave  me  their  influence,  and  at  the  end  of  one 
year  I had  seven  thousand  subscribers  at  $1.50  each.  My  labors 
between  its  semi-monthly  issues,  were  about  as  follows  : — 

Composition  of  16  large  pages  of  type,  in  which  I was  aided  by  wife.. 

Press-work  every  fortnight  of  7,000  sheets. 

Folding,  pressing,  covering,  and  mailing  7,000  periodicals  every  fort- 
night. 

Keeping  the  hooks.  * 

Preaching  from  four  to  eight  sermons. 

Attending  weddings,  funerals,  &c. 

All  told,  this  was  rather  hard  work,  and  required  full  sixteen 
hours  per  day.  This  course  made  the  first  inroad  on  my  con- 
stitution, and  I now  regret  it  most  bitterly.  I soon  found  it 


10 


HELIOCHROMY. 


necessary  to  enlarge  my  facilities,  when  I formed  a co-partner- 
ship with  my  brother,  R.  H.  Hill,  and  we  removed  our  quarters 
to  the  delightful  village  of  Prattsville.  The  Hon.  Zadock 
Pratt,  founder  of  that  fine  village  (justly  pronounced  the  “ gem 
of  the  mountains”) — a gentleman  well  known  and  highly 
esteemed  throughout  the  country— -became  our  generous  patron, 
and  afforded  us  the  large  monied  facilities  required  by  our 
enlarging  our  operations,  in  the  addition  of  some  twelve  workmen , 
a well  appointed  stereotype  foundry , and  an  extensive  book  and 
stationery  store.  He  also  furnished  us  a large  building  for  our 
business,  and  each  of  us  a good  house  for  our  families.  At 
the  close  of  the  business  there — about  three  years  in  all — he 
utterly  refused  to  take  any  rent.  It  is  not  a little  to  his  credit 
that  just  such  instances  of  liberality  were  ever  common  to  him. 
I remained  in  Prattsville  only  about  a year,  having  sold  out  to 
my  brother,  who  continued  the  business  some  two  years  after  I 
left.  On  leaving  there,  I was  resolved  to  bid  adieu  to  the 
mountains,  and  with  this  view  visited  Danbury,  Conn.,  Stam- 
ford, Conn.,  and  some  churches  in  New  Jersey,  and  returned 
home  to  consider  and  decide  on  the  merits  of  these  several 
locations.  The  Westkill  church  urged  me  to  return,  and  I did 
so.  After  three  or  four  years  the  famous  anti-rent  troubles 
commenced.  In  this  section  several  clergymen  lectured  for,  and 
otherwise  encouraged  the  Calico  Indians.  I was  accused  of 
being  an  “ up-r  enter ,”  and  was  threatened  with  a “ donation” 
suit  of  “ tar  and  feathers.”  One  day  a gang  of  some  eighty  of 
these  rowdies  passed  my  house,  and  while  I stood  in  the  door 
they  pointed  their  muskets  at  me,  but  did  not  fire.  Perhaps 
they  were  in  jest;  but  even  such  an  outrage  no  friend  of  good 
order  would  be  found  guilty  of.  A sermon  in  which  I plainly 
exposed  the  rottenness  of  the  whole  system  of  disguise,  and  the 
hypocrisy  of  those  professors  of  religion  who  countenanced  the 
practice,  gave  great  offence  to  a few  in  the  church ; and  being 
determined  not  to  stay  in  a church  where  even  a few  wished  me 
gone,  I left,  and  settled  in  the  Baptist  church  in  the  thriving 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


11 


village  of  Saugerties,  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  river.  There 
I remained  two  years  and  a half,  and  I must  say  in  justice  t© 
the  church  and  the  people  generally,  that  my  situation  was 
exceedingly  pleasant.  Indeed  I felt  as  if  I could  stay  in  that 
community  “ all  the  days  of  my  life.”  Alas  ! it  was  otherwise 
ordered.  I was  severely  attacked  with  that  scourge  of  the 
ministry,  bronchitis.  At  one  period  of  the  disease  I entirely 
lost  my  voice,  and  such  was  the  aggravated  character  of  the 
complaint,  that  skilful  physicians  pronounced  me  on  the  very 
brink  of  the  consumptive’s  grave.  By  the  blessing  of  God,  in 
the  free  use  of  “ Jayne’s  Expectorant”  I almost  entirely  re- 
covered, and  again  entered  the  pulpit.  A few  sermons  were 
sufficient  to  bring  back  the  malady  in  a chronic  form , and  from 
this  I have  never  entirely  recovered.  The  large  quantities  of 
iodine  and  bromine,  especially  the  latter,  which  I was  led  to  use 
in  the  practice  of  daguerreotype,  and  in  manufacturing  chemi- 
cals, have  tended  greatly  to  modify  the  disease,  and  to  render 
life  endurable.  Bromine,  deadly  poison  as  it  is,  inhaled  by  the 
lungs,  in  a state  of  moderate  dilution  with  atmospheric  air, 
appears  to  act  as  a tremendous  irritant,  and  for  several  hours, 
and  even  days,  the  pulmonary  subject  will  feel  much  worse ; but 
these  symptoms  are  sure  to  be  followed  by  a very  decided 
improvement.  A continuous  exposure,  however,  to  even  a very 
weak  atmosphere  of  this  poison,  is  extremely  debilitating  and 
injurious.  Three  years  ago  the  present  winter,  I had  a violent 
return  of  my  complaint ; and  about  that  time  I had  occasion  to 
make  a large  quantity  of  bromide  of  lime.  At  several  different 
times  I inhaled  it  largely,  which  caused  a very  great  aggravation 
of  the  cough,  sore  throat,  expectoration,  stricture,  &c.,  but  in  a 
few  days  the  volatile  poison  left  the  system,  and  with  it  went  all 
the  principal  symptoms  of  the  disease,  and  I felt  nearly  well  for 
several  months.  A good  way  to  use  this  potent  medicine,  is  to 
place  one  drop  of  pure  bromine  in  a three-gallon  jug,  and  after 
suffering  it  to  remain  corked  tight  for  an  hour,  in  a warm  room, 
to  carefully  inhale  from  the  mouth  of  the  jug,  till  you  feel  a 


12 


HELIOCHKOMY. 


decided  action  of  it  through  the  throat  and  lungs,  and  then  to 
•breathe  freely  out-door  air , the  colder  the  better.  The  latter 
direction  may  seem  singular  and  dangerous,  but  it  is  not.  No 
danger  of  “ taking  cold”  need  be  apprehended.  The  lungs  are 
not  then  in  a condition  for  it.  They  are  under  a ten-fold  excite- 
ment, in  the  effort  to  throw  off  the  poison,  and  will,  therefore, 
resist  the  cold  air,  while  the  latter  will  at  once  dilute  the  gas. 

To  return  to  the  thread  of  my  narrative.  After  becoming 
satisfied  that  my  disease  was  of  a character  to  forbid  my  regular 
exercise  of  the  ministry,  I at  once  turned  my  attention  to  da- 
guerreotyping.  From  Daguerre’s  first  published  account  of  this 
wonderful  art,  I became  enamored  with  it ; and  I well  remem- 
ber my  emotions  on  seeing  some  of  the  first  daguerreotypes  made 
in  New  York  by  Prof.  Morse  (the  immortal  inventor  of  the  mag- 
netic telegraph),  Prof.  Wolcott,  Mr.  Van  Loon,  and  others.  I 
paid  one  of  these  gentlemen  (Mr.  Van  Loon,  I think)  $10  for 
two  medium  daguerreot)Tpes  of  myself  and  wife.  My  own,  hav- 
ing been  kept  from  strong  light,  remains  on  the  plate,  but  in  a 
miserable  state  of  decay;  the  other  has  long  since  entirely  dis- 
appeared. 

My  first  lessons  in  daguerreotype  were  from  a friend,  who 
Was  a novice  in  the  art.  Of  course  I did  not  succeed.  I then 
repaired  to  Meade  & Brothers’  Gallery,  in  Albany,  where  I 
gathered  the  main  principles  of  the  business.  Afterwards  I 
spent  some  time  with  It.  E.  Churchill,  Esq.,  in  Broadway,  New 
York,  much  to  my  improvement.  In  those  days  instructions 
were  very  imperfectly  given ; many  of  the  best  artists,  in  fact, 
found  it  hard  work  to  keep  their  own  equilibrium,  so  little  was 
understood  of  the  true  principles  of  the  art.  After  all  these 
valuable  aids,  I was  still  in  a most  woful  “fog.”  My  lights  had 
“ the  blues,”  and  the  face  of  beauty  would  come  out  black  as 
charcoal ; and  that,  too,  after  a sitting  of  fifteen  minutes.  In- 
deed,  I thought  myself  fortunate  to  make  a white  man  look  a 
few  degrees  lighter  than  Jim  Crow.  To  those  who  have  passed 
through  these  troubles  (and  who  of  the  old  daguerreotypists  have 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP  THE  AUTHOR. 


13 


not  ?),  I need  not  describe  tbeir  vexations  and  horrors.  The 
pecuniary  embarrassment,  likewise,  to  those  who  depend  on  the 
business  for  the  support  of  their  families,  as  I did,  is  no  small 
item.  Many — yes,  the  great  majority — who  took  instructions  in 
those  days,  were  wilfully  misled,  and  not  only  cheated  out  of 
their  money,  but  sent  out  among  strangers  without  the  ability  to 
earn  their  bread.  Let  me  say  here,  that  certain  'parties  who 
have  been  most  forward  in  denouncing  me  as  a cheat,  like  them- 
selves, were  among  the  notorious  in  those  naughty  times,  when 
cider  was  sold  for  “ quick  stuff,”  red  chalk  for  colcothar,  Indian 
meal  for  chloride  of  gold,  and  plumbago  for  iodine.  I have  the 
documents  to  prove  this  assertion,  and  I can  bring  dozens  of 
men  who  will  swear,  on  the  Holy  Book,  that,  in  their  opinion, 
the  mercenary  traducers  referred  to  are  among  the  meanest  and 
most  contemptible  villains  on  the  footstool.  Not  a few  of  these 
rare  spirits  I could  point  out  by  name,  and  prove  their  rascality 
to  their  teeth ; but  I will  let  these  remarks  suffice,  promising, 
if  they  ever  renew  their  base  attacks,  to  bring  to  light  some 
things  which  will  not  be  very  pleasing. 

In  the  course  of  my  struggles  to  gain  a mastery  of  the  art,  I 
was  one  day  visited  by  Mr.  Francis  Norwood,  of  Schoharie  Co. 
It  was  very  uncommon  in  those  times  to  meet  with  an  operator 
at  all  communicative  ; every  man  had  some  great  secret,  and  that 
was  locked  up  in  his  own  narrow  bosom,  and  the  key  hid  away. 
You  could  scarcely  visit  a daguerreotype  room,  but  you  would 
see  on  the  door  of  the  operating  department — “ No  Admittance,” 
“ Positively  no  Admittance,”  “ Strictly  Private,”  “ Peremptorily 
no  Admittance ,”  &c.  If  you  desired  a piece  of  information — a 
recipe  for  making  or  mixing  “ chloride  of  gold”  for  example, 
from  $5  to  $50  was  the  price,  the  seller  reserving  the  trifling 
privilege  of  giving  you  the  wrong  recipe  if  he  saw  fit.  I once 
sent  for  $5  worth  of  chloride  of  gold  to  a very  popular  house  in 
Broadway,  with  a respectful  request  for  information  how  to  mix 
it.  The  gold  (and  plenty  of  nice  yellow  corn,  ground  fine) 
arrived,  and  with  it  a message — “ Ask  Mr.  Hill  if  he  thinks  I 


14 


HELIOCHROMY. 


am  a d- d fool  % ” This  creature  is  still  on  Broadway  ; but 

people  have  found  him  out,  and  the  glory  of  his  once  gorgeous 
daguerreian  palace  has  departed.  I am  glad  that  a race  of  men 
have  taken  his  place. 

Mr.  Norwood  was  of  a different  stamp.  He  carried  the  “ key 
of  knowledge”  in  a loose  hand ; and  he  cheerfully  “ put  me  on 
the  track.”  I learned  from  him,  in  twenty  minutes,  that  which 
enabled  me  to  produce  very  good  pictures  with  some  certainty. 
As  a result,  I profited  to  the  amount  of  about  four  hundred 
dollars  in  Saugerties  alone,  in  the  space  of  three  or  four  months. 
This  enabled  me  to  pay  all  my  little  debts,  contracted  while 
“ groping  in  the  dark,”  and  to  return  to  my  home  in  Westkill 
with  a few  spare  dollars. 

Soon  after  this,  accompanied  by  my  wife  and  boy,  I com- 
menced as  travelling  daguerreoiypist.  I went  first  of  all  to  the 
flourishing  town  of  North  East , Dutchess  Co.,  where  I spent  a 
winter  very  pleasantly  in  the  house  of  the  Rev.  H.  L.  Gross. 
While  there,  I made  and  sold  some  two  hundred  pictures.  On 
my  return  home,  I operated  for  a short  time  in  my  native  village, 
Athens.  A month  or  two  afterwards  I returned  to  Athens,  and 
had  all  I could  do  there  for  several  weeks.  Then  I went  down 
the  river  to  Poughkeepsie , and  thence  to  Dover  Plains , Dutchess 
Co.,  where  I was  fortunate  in  forming  an  extensive  acquaintance 
with  most  excellent  people,  and  in  making  and  selling  nearly 
three  hundred  pictures.  While  there,  I enjoyed  a visit  with 
Durand,  the  artist.  I naturally  supposed  that  the  man  who 
produced  the  fine  painting  of  Dover  Plains,  could  show  me  how 
to  color  a daguerreotype.  But  he  laughed  at  the  idea,  remark- 
ing, “ reproduce,  by  means  of  light,  the  beautiful  colored  image  on 
the  ground  glass  of  your  camera,  and,  you  will  be  ahead  of  all  the 
painters .”  This  remark  was,  perhaps,  what  first  suggested  to 
me  the  idea  of  making  an  effort  towards  that  grand  object. 

From  Dover  Plains  I went  to  the  pleasant  village  of  Amenia, 
in  the  same  county,  and  there,  also,  I succeeded  admirably  for  a 
couple  of  months.  I became  acquainted  while  there  with  the 


ATUOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


15 


professors  in  the  Methodist  Seminary — especially  Professors 
Hazen  and  Winchell.  With  them  I had  many  pleasant  inter- 
views, the  conversation  generally  turning  on  the  'Philosophy  of 
the  Daguerreotype.  In  this  they  were  well  versed ; hut  the 
practical  part  they  could  not  master.  The  camera,  &c.,  belong- 
ing to  their  Philosophical  Department  I purchased  at  a low 
price,  and  paid  in  light  and  shadow. 

In  the  month  of  November  I returned  to  North  East,  where  I 
designed  to  spend  the  winter ; but,  in  the  midst  of  a most  suc- 
cessful career,  we  were  unexpectedly  called  home  by  the 
dangerous  illness  of  a dear  sister.  We  arrived  at  Oakhill, 
opposite  Catskill,  on  our  way  homeward,  after  dark  the  first  day. 
The  river  had  just  closed,  but  the  crossing  not  being  safe,  we 
went  up  to  Hudson*  and  crossed  there,  piloted  by  two  little  boys, 
and  arrived  at  Catskill  at  midnight.  The  next  morning,  at  day- 
break, we  were  on  our  way  to  the  mountains.  It  was  one  of  the 
coldest  days  I ever  knew,  and  in  crossing  the  mountain,  just 
below  the  “ Mountain  House,”  the  wind  blew  a perfect  hurricane. 
The  air  was  literally  filled  with  snow,  leaves,  limbs  of  trees,  and 
an  occasional  sprinkling  of  rails  and  boards  from  the  fences,  and 
several  times  we  heard  the  crash  of  tall  maples  and  hemlocks, 
as  they  yielded  to  the  fury  of  the  gale.  Majesty  rode  on  the 
blast  that  day.  I name  this  incident,  because  it  formed  a sort 
of  era  in  my  life,  and  to  show  what  woman  can  endure,  when  on 
a mission  of  affection.  Several  times  we  were  plunged  into 
deep  snow  drifts,  when  my  wife,  our  little  boy,  and  myself  had 
to  release  the  prancing  and  infuriated  steeds,  right  up  the  sleigh, 
or  tumble  it  over  a stone  wall,  and  play  vigilance  committee  over 
the  stupid  acts  of  an  affrighted  negro  driver. 

Arrived  safely  home,  we  found  our  young  friend,  to  all 
appearance,  in  the  last  agonies  of  a complication  of  diseases,  of 
which  Scrofula  was  chief.  She  had  been  given  up  by  several 
physicians,  and  had  been  lying  for  some  days  in  a comatose  state. 
We  were  aware  that  she  had  taken  the  usual  remedies  of  the 
Allopathic  school,  and  having  reached  the  end  of  their  medical 


16 


HELIOCHROMY. 


education , it  was  considered  that  any  new  prescription,  not  ex- 
actly conforming  to  these  principles,  would  kill  her  at  once. 
However  we,  in  theory  and  practice,  were  Thompsonians — the 
mention  of  which  fact  here  needs  no  apology— for  the  theory  of 
Dr.  Samuel  Thompson  never  has,  and  never  can  he  refuted, 
though  the  course  of  some  of  his  followers  has  been  utterly 
absurd.  Accordingly,  by  consent  of  the  entire  family,  we  made 
a trial  of  botanic  remedies.  Small  doses  of  Thompson’s  Third 
Preparation,  to  get  up  the  “ internal  heat”  and  nauseate  the  sto- 
mach, were  often  repeated,  aided  by  a careful  and  persevering 
use  of  the  vapor  hath . The  effect  was  almost  magical.  Signs  of 
life  began  to  appear,  and  ere  long  she  was  in  great  pain . As  soon 
as  we  thought  it  safe  we  gave,  to  relieve  these  pains , the  same  me- 
dicine, in  emetic  doses.  Nature,  thus  aided,  gained  strength  to 
renew  the  conflict  with  disease ; and  the  advantage  was  followed 
up  by  a continued  use  of  the  same  medicine,  in  connexion  with 
vegetable  alteratives,  till  the  patient  recovered.  She  is  still  living 
in  the  enjoyment  of  fair  health. 

I have  said  that  the  journey  through  the  hurricane  was  a sort 
of  era  in  my  life.  How  and  why  I so  regard  it  I will  now  state. 
Had  we  been  one  day  later  our  friend,  I doubt  not,  would  have 
died,  and  we  would  have  returned  to  our  migrations.  As  it  was, 
duty  retained  me  at  home,  and  having  no  regular  employment  I 
began  experimenting  for  the  natural  colors.  These  experiments  I 
have  continued  till  very  recently — a period  of  over  five  years — 
and  had  it  not  been  for  the  heroic  fortitude  of  a woman,  in  braving 
the  storm,  the  following  pages  would  never  have  seen  the  light. 

I will  not  omit,  in  this  place,  the  mention  of  some  unpleasant 
circumstances  which  happened  about  this  time.  The  then  Pastor 
of  the  Westkill  church  had  been  guilty  of  most  shamefully  slan- 
dering one  of  the  most  amiable  young  ladies  in  the  place.  Un- 
fortunately for  me  he  had  made  me  a witness  to  the  fact,  and 
though  I deemed  it  prudent  to  conceal  my  knowledge  of  his  cha- 
racter, supposing  that  there  was  no  other  proof,  the  whole  thing 
leaked  out,  and  it  was  proved  against  him  by  the  most  irrefragable 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


17 


testimony.  He  was  tried  by  a council  of  delegates  from  ten  or 
twelve  neighboring  churches,  excluded  from  the  church,  and 
silenced  from  preaching  by  the  unanimous  finding  of  the  council. 
During  the  progress  of  the  matter  this  man  tried  hard  to  injure 
me,  and  to  effect  his  purpose  set  on  foot  a shameful  lie.  This  I 
at  once  traced  out,  and  in  a few  days  caused  to  he  read  in  public 
two  libels , signed  by  the  parties  implicated ; and  thus  the  matter 
ended  until  some  of  my  spiteful  7iatural  color  friends  repeated  the 
story.  These  friends , made  malicious  by  their  failure  to  brow- 
beat me  into  a compliance  with  their  wishes  in  regard  to  my  dis- 
covery, had  the  pleasure,  for  a short  time,  of  being  believed. 
Several,  to  my  knowledge,  on  visiting  Westkill  and  making  the 
most  diligent  inquiry,  both  here  and  on  the  road,  were  quite  thun- 
derstruck to  find  that  not  even  a shadow  of  suspicion  existed 
against  me.  This  is  the  first  time  I ever  named  the  subject  in 
print,  and  I do  it  now  as  a matter  of  history,  without  feeling  any 
interest  in  the  matter,  or  any  special  concern  about  the  opinions 
of  the  very  kind  friends  referred  to. 

When  I commenced  working  for  the  colors  I had  a little,  and 
but  a little,  faith.  As  I progressed  I noticed  things  that  greatly 
increased  my  confidence  in  the  practicability  of  what  I regarded 
as  the  true  chromatic  theory.  Not  that  I produced  any  colors, 
but  I found  that  ordinary  Daguerreotyping  and  Oalotyping,  with 
slight  variations,  were  capable  of  giving  very  great  diversity  of 
tone ; and  I found,  also,  that  other  agents  besides  the  usual  ones 
would  give  singular  and  sometimes  beautiful  results.  This  led 
me  on  from  day  to  day,  and  gave  me  great  encouragement  to 
believe  that  I would  one  day  find  an  opening  that  would  lead  me 
into  the  Land  of  the  Beautiful.  The  great  difficulty  was  to  find 
a clue  to  some  mode  of  operating  direct  for  the  colors.  This 
secured,  the  next  difficulty  was  in  procuring  suitable  chemicals. 
I found,  on  personal  inquiry  at  the  best  Laboratories  in  the  United 
States,  that  many  of  my  supplies  would  have  to  come  from  Eu- 
rope. Then  I began  to  open  my  eyes  to  the  fact  that  experi- 

2 


18. 


HELIOCHROMY. 


meriting  was  very  costly ,*  and  that  my  means  would  soon  he 
gone. 

At  this  time  no  book  on  the  Daguerreotype  Art  had  ever  been 
. published  in  this  country , and  I had  long  been  collecting  materials 
for  such  a work.  I had  paid  out  several  hundred  dollars  for 
recipes,  &c.,  and  at  length,  with  fear  and  trembling,  I issued 
proposals  for  my  “ Treatise  on  Daguerreotype The  circular  was 
inadvertently  dated  the  First  of  April , and  I soon  had  several 
letters  inquiring  if  I meant  to  April-fool  the  fraternity.  One  of 
these  letters  was  from  a distinguished  operator  in  Philadelphia, 
with  whom  I have  since  had  many  a laugh  over  the  subject.  He 
could  not  believe  that  a proposal  to  publish  a Booh  on  Da- 
guerreotype could  be  less  than  an  April-fooling.  Imperfect  as  my 
first  work  certainly  was,  it  met  with  a ready  sale  at  $5  per  copy, 
and  it  was  thought  quite  cheap  enough  at  that  price,  inasmuch  as 
it  contained,  in  addition  to  a full  system  of  operating,  many 
recipes  which  had  frequently  sold  for  from  $10  to  $50  each,  and 
much  other  valuable  information.  I realized  a few  hundred  dol- 
lars profits  from  the  sale  of  this  work,  which  made  me  feel  quite 
rich,  and  enabled  me  to  push  my  experiments. 

In  the  meantime  I took  daguerreotypes  for  all  who  called,  and 
occasionally  had  a pupil.  My  price  for  teaching  a pupil  was  $50, 
which  some  persons,  who  never  do  it  for  less,  have  charged  upon 
me  as  a piece  of  extortion.  The  truth  is  just  this  : I always 
spent  from  one  to  two  months  with  a pupil,  and  carefully  taught 
him  every  branch  of  the  art ; and  I have  never  yet  had  one 
leave  my  rooms  who  was  not  qualified  to  make  money  out  of  the 
business.  All  of  them,  as  far  as  I know,  have  done  well ; and 
many  of  them  are  now  among  the  best  and  most  successful 
operators  in  the  country.  Not  one  of  them  ever  grumbled  at  my 
treatment,  and  all  of  them  are,  to  this  day,  among  my  warmest 
friends.  These  remarks  I design  to  apply  to  all  die  pupils  I 
ever  had,  and  the  reader  may  judge  from  them  how  far  I am 

* To  this  date  I have  spent  over  ten  thousand  dollars  in  these  experiments. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


19 


guilty  of  depredating  upon  their  credulity.  I would  not  refer  to 
this  subject,  were  it  not  that  many  unkind  insinuations  have  been 
thrown  out  concerning  it,  as  if  it  was  a great  privilege  for  me  to 
labor  like  a slave  in  teaching  my  scholars, jfor  the  very  purpose 
of  purchasing  the  boon  of  working  for  that  which  could  but 
benefit  the  whole  fraternity.  Every  dollar  ever  received  from 
pupils,  books,  the  sale  of  chemicals,  &c.,  has  been  spent,  long 
since,  in  the  pursuit  of  my  experiments.  Any  persons  who  may 
feel  sufficient  interest  in  my  private  affairs  (for  such  they  cer- 
tainly are)  will  be  referred  to  my  many  former  pupils  by  name, 
to  many  persons  of  distinction  who  are  acquainted  with  my 
affairs,  and  to  any  of  my  neighbors  within  ten  or  twenty  miles  of 
my  house. 

I would  state,  further,  that  I have  published,  besides  the  pre- 
sent volume,  four  worhs  on  Photography  : 

1.  My  original  Treatise  on  Daguerreotype. 

2.  A revised  and  enlarged  edition  of  the  same. 

3.  A Treatise  on  the  “ Magic  Buff,”  &c. 

4.  11  Photo  graphic  Researches  and  Manipulations. 

The  “ Treatise  on  the  Magic  Buff”  was  a pamphlet  merely,, 
and  sold  for  five  dollars  to  all  who  saw  fit  to  buy  it.  This  specu- 
lation brought  down  upon  me  a tirade  of  abuse  in  a certain  city 
paper,  written  by  a man  who  has  since  not  hesitated  to  attack  one 
of  the  most  venerable  institutions  in  our  country — the  Franklin 
Institute. 

At  the  time  I projected  that  pamphlet  “ Magic  Buffs”  were 
selling  for  twenty  dollars  per  pair.  They  were  simply  two  pieces 
of  buckskin  tacked  to  pine  sticks,  one  strip  of  the  buckskin  having 
a little  grease  spread  over  its  surface.  As  respectable  parties  as 
the  Scovill  Manufacturing  Co.,  W.  & W.  II.  Lewis,  J.  Gurney, 
and  others,  were  in  the  speculation  ; and  there  was  no  unfairness, 
in  it — for,  by  the  use  of  these  Buffs  the  Daguerreotype  plate  was 
quickened  one  half,  thus  enabling  operators  to  take  children  and 
other  difficult  subjects  with  great  facility.  I purchased  three  sets 
of  the  Buffs,  and  there  being  no  patent  on  them,  I had  wit  enough 


20 


HELIOCHROMY. 


to  analyse  one  of  them.  Those  who  sold  the  pieces  of  leather  and 
the  pine  sticks  for  twenty  dollars  did  not  give  the  secret.  My  logic 
was  as  follows  : Two  pine  sticks  covered  with  buckskin  strips , one 
of  them  greased , are  worth  twenty  dollars — therefore,  the  grand 
modus  of  preparing  the  said  buckskin,  &c.,  is  worth  five  dollars. 
My  subscribers , as  far  as  I know,  agreed  with  me  that  I hit  logic’s 
nail  on  the  head  that  time.  I had  the  lion’s  share  of  the  profits 
—some  $500 — and  the  gratification  also  of  somewhat  out-general- 
ing  my  New  York  friends  fairly,  handsomely,  and  in  a nice  busi- 
ness way.  The  information  becoming  general,  buckskin  fell  in 
price,  and  Dr.  Cyrus  (the  reputed  inventor)  was  relieved  of  all 
danger  of  being  burned  for  witchcraft.  So  much  for  the  famous 
“ Magic  Buff.” 

My  other  publications  (a  thousand  thanks  to  the  great  mass  of 
my  brother  artists)  went  off  at  a profit,  especially  the  “ Photo- 
graphic Researches,”  which  sold  freely  throughout  the  United 
States,  in  the  Canadas,  and  to  some  extent  in  Europe.  I wrote 
the  book  as  over-work,  at  midnight  hours — at  a time,  too,  when 
my  mind  was  on  the  pinnacle  of  excitement  about  the  natural 
colors.  At  midnight  hours  also  I wrote  and  mailed  my  Pros- 
pectus ; and  having  thus,  by  my  own  efforts,  secured  the  kind 
patronage  of  the  fraternity,  I think  I was,  and  am,  justly  entitled 
to  commendation  instead  of  blame,  especially  as  I spent  all  the 
money  in  pursuit  of  the  grandest  theme  of  Photography,  and  espe- 
cially as  I can  show  one  thousand  letters  from  actual  subscribers, 
expressing  their  high  appreciation  of  the  work.  A few  weeks 
ago  I sold,  for  a liberal  price,  the  copy-right  of  this  work  to  one 
of  the  first  stock  dealers  in  the  country — Myron  Shew,  Esq.,  of 
Philadelphia. 

My  reader  is  now  made  aware  of  pretty  much  the  whole  story 
concerning  the  manner  in  which  I have  sustained  my  family,  and 
my  experiments  for  the  last  five  years.  I would  add,  however, 
that  I have  realized  moderate  profits  from  the  sale  of  Daguerreo- 
type and  Calotype  chemicals  of  my  own  make,  and  Daguerreo- 
type stock.  After  earning  and  spending  over  ten  thousand  dol - 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


21 


lars,  and  at  the  end  of  five  years  of  the  severest  toils,  brain-rack- 
ing investigations,  and  bitter  trials , I find  myself  a few  hundred 
dollars  worse  than  a poor  man.  I am  aware  that  the  impression 
is  abroad  that  I have  amassed  an  immense  fortune.  One  writer 
has  taken  pains  to  figure  up  my  gains,  and  he  made  out  about 
forty  thousand  dollars.  But  the  whole  truth  is  given  in  the  fore- 
going statements,  with  the  exception  of  the  fact  that  the  very 
house  I live  in,  and  of  which  I hold  a deed , has  been  under  mort- 
gage for  three  years  past.  The  money  for  which  the  mortgage 
was  given  was,  every  dollar  of  it,  expended  in  my  experiments. 
My  neighbors  are  perfectly  familiar  with  these  facts,  and  I con- 
sider them  as  a full  vindication  against  all  insinuations  to  the 
contrary. 


22 


HELIOCHROMY. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Experimenting — Difficulties  in  the  Way — Groping  in  Darkness — Friends 
Laugh — The  Philosophers — Wife  Aids — Laughable  Experiments — Wife  has 
the  Consumption — A peculiar  mode  of  Treatment,  by  which  her  life  was 
greatly  prolonged,  briefly  detailed — Poisons — Explosions — Friendly  Cau- 
tions— The  first  Picture  in  Colors — Excitement  of  Mind — Second  Picture  in 
Colors — The  Announcement — Effect  on  the  Public  Mind — Injury  to  the 
Daguerreotype  Business — Eight  thousand  Letters — Visitors — Speculators 
— Offers  of  large  sums  of  Money — The  Press — Course  of  the  Photographic 
Journals — The  “ Infernal  Committee” — Life  Threatened — My  Revolver — 
Its  Amusing  History — Col.  Pratt’s  Dog — The  Midnight  Alarm — Harrow 
Escape  of  the  Enemy — Westkill  Police — Watchman’s  Rattle — Friends — M. 
A.  Root,  Wm,  M.  Marshall,  Prof.  Morse,  and  others — -Visitors  and  Visita- 
tions— Glass  Silvering — $5,000  turning  on  a piece  of  India-rubber  Cloth — 
Reflectors  for  Cameras — The  Pantotype — Beautiful  method  of  making 
Daguerreotype  Plates — The  Chromatint,  fully  detailed — My  Second  Mar- 
riage— A piece  of  unlooked  for  Experience — That  “ foulest  whelp  of  sin,” 
Slander — Human  Nature  in  its  blackest  apparel. 

In  the  midst  of  toils  of  which  the  foregoing  chapter  gives  hut  a 
meagre  account,  I pursued  my  grand  theme — my  one  thought , so 
to  speak — and  never,  for  a wakeful  hour,  whatever  else  might 
he  on  my  hands,  did  I cease  to  think  into  it.  It  was  like  study- 
ing arithmetic  on  a battle  field — like  balancing  on  the  tight-rope 
in  a tornado — like  anything  but  the  usual  method  of  scientific 
pursuit.  Say  it  was  like  Thomas  Scott,  writing  a commentary, 
with  a cross  baby  on  his  knee.  That  will  do — a tolerable  figure 
of  the  plight  I was  in. 

At  first  I was  alone — all  alone — a sort  of  human  owl,  grubbing 
about,  with  great  blurry  eyes,  after  % a glow-worm.  My  ac- 
quaintances— my  best  friends — brothers,  sisters,  wife — all  laughed 
at  me.  To  them,  doubtless,  I seemed  like  one  fishing  for  pearls 
in  a thunder  cloud.  My  scheme  was  ranked  with  “perpetual 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


23 


motion ” hunting.  In  one  word,  I was  a visionary , a builder  of 
air-castles.  This,  as  you  may  readily  imagine,  was  not  very 
encouraging.  I referred  them  to  facts , phenomena,  chromatic 
theory,  and  the  like  ; but  it  was  of  no  use,  like  the  rest  of  man- 
kind they  bad  set  the  thing  down  among  the  impossibilities . I 
should  tell  a lie  to  say  that  this  conduct  on  their  part  did  not 
mortify  my  pride  exceedingly.  However,  I will  give  them  all 
credit  of  having  refrained  from  harshness.  It  was  a sort  of 
stationary  theme  in  the  family  for  cracking  jokes  over.  I would 
try  to  smile  and  laugh  in  a natural  way — but  I was  like  the  frogs 
in  the  fable — the  hoys’  fun  in  stoning  them,  was  their  agony. 

This  utter  unbelief  in  the  possibility  of  solving  the  great 
problem,  was  not  confined  to  my  family.  It  was,  as  far  as  men 
thought  on  the  subject,  a well- settled  public  sentiment.  I do  not 
think  I could  have  found  a man  or  woman  who  would  have 
ventured  five  dollars  on  my  success.  The  scientific  minds  of 
this  country  and  Europe,  with  a few  brilliant  exceptions,  even 
went  so  far  as  to  take  it  for  granted  that  photography  and  the 
natural  colors  were  separated  by  an  impassable  gulf.  The  old 
philosophers  had  never  had  their  giant  minds  enlisted  in  the 
subject.  Hence  I had  no  help  from  the  books. 

Another  great  impediment  was  my  lack  of  chemical  knowledge. 
True,  I had  read  the  science  in  school,  and  I could  recite  its  out- 
lines ; hut  I had  never  studied  it.  To  study  chemistry  in  the 
true  sense,  is  to  practise  it.  In  my  attempts  to  make  my  own 
chemicals,  I found  myself  wofully  deficient.  In  following 
the  plainest  formulas  I frequently  failed.  Of  apparatus  I had 
none.  Even  now,  after  years  of  practice,  I have  very  little  in 
this  line  hut  what  I have  made  myself.  They  answer  my 
purpose.  My  methods  of  forming  and  compounding  are  mostly 
my  own.  The  formulas  in  this  work  are  not  all  given  in  true 
chemical  technicality  ; hut  I have  tried  hard  to  be  plain  and 
correct. 

After  a few  months  my  wife  became  a convert  to  my  views, 
and  entered  heartily  into  my  spirit  and  plans.  We  worked 


24: 


HELIOCHROMY. 


together  with  untiring  perseverance.  Every  variety  of  experi- 
ment that  our  anxious  thoughts  suggested,  was  tried  in  every 
form,  and  repeated,  over  and  over  again,  until  we  were  satisfied 
that  it  did  not  contain  our  sought-for  gem.  Knowing  as  I now 
do,  the  almost  impossibility  of  avoiding,  in  such  a research, 
certain  absurd  acts,  and  queer  juxtapositions,  I am  yet  amused 
in  looking  back  at  some  of  our  experiments.  True,  we  had  a 
sort  of  system , and  usually  confined  ourselves  to  one  head  of  the 
series  at  a time.  Under  the  head  of  “ Mordants ,”  for  example, 
we  one  day  applied  alum  water  to  a plate,  and  then  coated  it  in 
the  usual  way  with  iodine,  thinking  that  in  some  way  the  alu- 
mina, which  has  a great  affinity  to  coloring  matter,  might  lay  hold 
of  the  colored  rays.  This  was  absurd  enough,  truly ; but,  as  it 
cost  but  little  time,  there  was  no  harm  done,  and  it  led  in  the  end 
to  the  employment  of  aluminate  of  silver,  as  you  will  see  further 
on.  Indeed,  out  of  the  many  thousand  experiments  I have 
tried,  I do  not  remember  a single  one  from  which  I derived  no 
benefit. 

My  wife’s  devotion  to  the  pursuit  lasted  several  months. 
Many  of  her  ideas  and  manipulations  were  excellent — such  as 
only  woman  could  originate.  Household  duties  called  her  away 
from  the  work,  and  I afterwards  enjoyed  her  aid  only  occasion- 
ally. Her  exertions  in  this  work,  and  exposure  to  noxious  che- 
micals, I fear  had  a share  in  hastening  the  development  of  her 
present  hereditary  disease.  At  the  time  of  this  writing,  she  lies 
low  under  the  hand  of  that  fell  destroyer — consumption.  My 
own  health  has  suffered  greatly,  from  the  ardor  of  my  labors, 
and  from  the  many  deadly  poisons  which  have  been,  as  it  were, 
my  playthings  for  years.  Such  inhalants  as  prussic  acid,  phos- 
phorus, sulphuretted  hydrogen,  cyanogen,  nitrous  oxide,  chlorine, 
bromine,  red  hot  arsenic,  antimony,  &c.,  are  not  exactly  suited  to 
the  frail  net-work  of  the  human  lungs.  Once  in  particular,  after 
the  continued  use  of  hydrofluoric  acid,  I had  a severe  attack  of 
hemorrhage  of  the  lungs,  and  was  very  singularly  handled.  I 
have  also  had  many  hair-breadth  escapes  from  explosions.  Having 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


25 


occasion  one  day  to  prepare  some  fulminate  of  silver , an  explo- 
sion took  place  wkick  sliook  the  whole  premises,  and  though  I 
was  within  five  feet  of  the  vile  stuff,  not  a hair  of  my  head  was 
injured.  At  another  time  I was  knocked  over,  as  if  with  a club, 
by  the  fumes  of  prussic  acid,  which  I was  heroically  heating  on  a 
plate,  with,  as  I thought,  requisite  precautions.  More  than  once 
I have  been  etherealized , iodized,  bromidized,  oxydized,  chloro- 
formed, and,  in  various  other  ways,  transformed  from  the  natural 
to  a most  unnatural  state.  These  injuries  were  most  of  them 
temporary ; worse  ones  have  arisen  from  continued  exposure  to 
volatile  poisons,  lack  of  out-door  exercise,  late  hours,  over  exer- 
tion of  the  physical  and  mental  powers,  and  a tremendous  and 
lengthened  excitement  of  the  mind.  May  future  experimenters 
who  read  these  lines  take  warning  from  my  example.  Let  me 
say  to  those  who  galvanize  their  plates,  beware  of  your  cyanide 
of  silver — its  fume  contains  a poison  subtle  as,  and  almost  identi- 
cal with,  that  of  the  rattlesnake.  Keep  it  in  a distant  corner, 
and  give  it  ventilation.  When  not  in  use,  let  it  be  well  covered. 
Beware,  also,  of  your  bromine — the  very  rottenness  of  death  is 
in  it.  Ventilate  your  mercury — its  fume  is  loaded  with  rheu- 
matism, sciatica,  lumbago,  tooth-ache,  neuralgia,  and  decrepitude. 
Beware  of  air-tight  rooms,  close  confinement,  standing,  sitting, 
stooping  too  much,  reading  too  much,  too  much  eating,  too  little 
sleep,  too  much  abstraction  of  mind,  and  too  much  of  any  bad 
habit  whatever.  Let  King  Philip’s  motto  be  posted  on  all  your 
employments — “ Remember  thou  art  mortal  ” Lost  health  is  not 
easily  regained.  Receive  this  friendly  admonition  from  one  who 
knows,  by  bitter  experience,  the  fruits  of  violating  the  laws  of 
physiology  and  hygiene. 

It  was  in  the  spring  of  1847  that  I commenced  these  experi- 
ments. For  three  entire  years  I obtained  no  really  encouraging 
result.  True,  I occasionally  saw  some  remarkable  change  in  the 
tone  of  ordinary  daguerreotype  and  calotype  pictures,  as  I varied 
these  processes — some  striking  freak  in  the  chemical  or  actinic 
action — for  example,  the  red  figures  in  a dress  or  building,  or 


26 


HELIOCHROMY. 


tints  of  green  in  a landscape  dimly  showing  themselves.  The 
same  phenomenon  was  early  noticed  by  Daguerre,  and  has  been 
frequently  observed  by  others.  Sometimes  I would  obtain  an 
iridescent  play  of  colors , such  as  we  see  in  thin  plates  of  mica, 
mother-of-pearl,  the  soap-bubble,  &c. ; but  these  I knew  were 
due  to  a cause  foreign  to  that  I was  striving  to  bring  into  action, 
that  is,  they  were  not  the  result  of  actinic  power. 

My  first  really  good  result  was  obtained  in  1850.  It  was  a 
copy  of  a large  colored  lithograph  of  the  village  of  Prattsville. 
Never,  before  or  since,  did  I experience  such  overpowering 
mental  excitement  as  when  I saw  this  result.  Wearied  and 
worn  with  the  toils  of  three  long  years,  I was,  as  it  were,  sud- 
denly ushered  into  a place  of  repose  and  beauty.  My  brain 
reeled  and  staggered  under  the  mighty  fact  that  I had  reached 
the  goal  of  my  hopes,  and  I shouted,  like  a Methodist — j Eureka  ! 
Eureka  ! It  seemed  to  me  that  the  house  was  too  small  to  hold 
my  suddenly  expanded  thoughts,  and  I made  my  way  to  a clump 
of  “ willows,”  hear  a running  brook,  where,  Ophelia-like,  I solilo- 
quized all  manner  of  sentimentalism,  and  employed  myself  for  an 
hour  or  two,  in  the  important  business  of  picking  up,  and  tossing 
about  the  pebbles  on  the  water’s  edge.  To  my  entranced  gaze, 
every  stone,  and  leaf,  and  even  each  of  my  hands,  had  a helio- 
clirome  upon  it.  Indeed,  I was,  for  the  only  time  in  my  life,  on 
the  verge  of  insanity.  Suddenly,  the  thought  struck  me  that  I 
must  make  a desperate  effort  to  remember  how  I had  secured  that 
picture.  Having  used  no  definite  proportions  in  my  compounds, 
I found  it  necessary  to  make  a desperate  effort  to  remember  the 
quantities  of  each  material  employed,  by  calling  up  to  my  mind, 
by  a sort  of  mnemonics,  the  form  and  bulk  of  the  articles.  I ac- 
cordingly locked  myself  in  my  room,  and  went  to  work  delibe- 
rately to  construct  a formula.  In  the  nature  of  the  case  this  effort 
was  the  keystone  of  my  future  success. 

I succeeded  in  producing  a second  picture  in  natural  colors. 
To  me,  and  to  my  wife,  this  was  a thrilling  event.  Then  it  was 
that  we  signed  and  made  oath  to  a pledge,  which  afterwards  gave 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


me  much  trouble.  This  pledge  we  designed  for  our  own  security, 
and  its  binding  obligation  formed  the  reason  for  my  refusal  to 
show  my  pictures,  “ except  for  security  or  protection.”  This  refu- 
sal led  many  to  suspect  that  the  whole  thing  was  a pretence;  but 
never  in  my  life  have  I acted  more  conscientiously  than  I did  in 
religiously  adhering  to  this  pledge. 

Having  made  so  great  a discovery,  was  it  not  natural,  and 
reasonable,  and  prope r,  for  me  to  announce  it  ? For  so  doing  I 
have  been  severely  censured  ; inasmuch  as  the  excitement  which 
followed  greatly  injured  the  daguerreotype  business — a result  I 
had  little  dreamed  of.  In  making  that  announcement  I did  no 
more  than  to  act  out  of  the  natural  impulsiveness  of  my  own  na- 
ture. Its  effect  I did  not  foresee.  This  effect  was  most  unex- 
pected to  me.  None  will  deny  that  it  exceeded  any  parallel  case 
in  this  country.  The  news  spread  like  wild-fire.  Every  news- 
paper in  the  land  contained  glowing  accounts  of  the  matter — 
everybody  talked  about  it — and  the  Daguerreotype  business  re- 
ceived  a mighty  blow.  No  person  ever  regretted  this  more  than 
I have;  but  it  was  not  wrong  in  me,  under  ike  circumstances , to 
make  that  announcement.  The  Editors  of  our  own  Photographic 
Journals , who  first  announced  (all  very  right),  and  then,  in  a way 
of  provoking,  unfair,  and  long-spun  controversy,  denounced  my 
discovery,  and  most  unrighteously,  and  with  a sort  of  “ border- 
ruffian”  spirit,  abused  and  vilified  me,  are  the  men  who  inflicted 
the  “ unkindest  cut  of  all”  on  the  bleeding  body  of  Daguerrean- 
ism.  To  them  the  Press  at  large  naturally  looked  for  information, 
and  their  editorials,  for  and  against , were  eagerly  copied.  Jus- 
tice to  myself  compelled  me  to  counteract  their  unmanly  scandals, 
by  means  of  “ certificates”  from  men  of  note  to  whom  I exhibited 
the  proofs  of  my  own  integrity.  Is  a man  blameworthy  for  de- 
fending himself  from  the  attacks  of  scribbling,  literary  blood- 
hounds ? If  so,  then  have  I offended. 

I,  of  all  others,  have  been  the  greatest  sufferer  from  that  an- 
nouncement. One  result  was  the  reception  of  over  eight  thousand 
letters.  No  small  affliction  for  a man  employed.  Another  result 


28 


HELIOCHROMY. 


was  a “ great  multitude”  of  visitors,  and  not  a few  “ visitations.” 
No  less  an  affliction  was  the  officious  intermeddling  of  a certain 
class  of  sharpers  and  speculators,  who  left  no  effort  untried  to  get 
me  involved  in  their  expert  clutches.  Some  of  them,  when  at 
length  they  found  out  I was  not  quite  a fool,  fell  back  on  the 
tricks  of  old  traitor  Judas,  and  circulated  all  manner  of  lies,  to 
my  hurt. 

The  “ Committee ” of  the  miserable  apology  for  a “ New  York 
State  Daguerrean  Association,”  who  visited  me  during  this 
stage  of  the  proceedings,  well  illustrated,  in  their  course,  the  cha- 
racter of  that  justice  which  I received.  The  whole  history  of  this 
“ Infernal  Committee”  affair  may  be  told  in  a few  words.  It  is 
this  : — Three  men — D.  D.  T.  Davy,  “ Phot.”  of  Utica,  Clark 
of  New  York,  and  Tomlinson  of  Troy — came  to  my  house, 
under  orders  from  the  mighty  compact  referred  to — the  “ N.  Y. 
State  Daguerrean  Association” — whose  mandate  issued  from  a 
meeting  of  said  august  body,  in  a Daguerrean  Gallery  in  New 
York,  which  meeting  was  composed  of  a tremendous  gathering  of 
no  less  than  seven  members — yea,  verily,  and  no  more  than  seven. 
This  “ Committee”  (injustice  to  Tomlinson  and  Clark,  I would 
say)  was  made  up,  de  facto , of  the  notorious  Davy.  He  was  chief 
speaker — the  two  others  being  evidently  ashamed  of  their  connex- 
ion with  so  mean  and  dastardly  a spirit  as  that  exhibited  by  their 
chairman.  This  Davy,  after  a liberal  effusion  of  flattery,  and 
after  a kind  reception  from  me,  proceeded  to  threaten  me  with 
exposure  as  a humbug,  and  more  than  intimated  that  a banditti 
of  ruffians,  like  himself,  would  visit  this  quiet  valley  with  the 
laudable  purpose  of  breaking  into  my  laboratory . Surely,  no 
two  threats  could  be  more  contradictory.  One  supposed  I had 
no  pictures,  and  the  other  implied  that  I held  the  key  to  a gem 
worthy  of  the  arts  and  efforts  of  freebooters.  I could  have  had 
the  chivalrous  “ Phot.”  arrested  for  threatening  my  life ; but  I 
thought  the  best  thing  I could  do  for  my  neighbors  was  to  let 
him  vamose  the  valley  as  quickly  as  possible. 

I candidly  confess  that  I was  afraid  of  the  threatened  attack. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


29 


Davy’s  whole  manner  was  that  of  a desperado,  and  his  subsequent 
history  proves  that  my  estimate  of  his  character  proves  correct. 
He  has  since  been  adjudged  by  a Court  of  Arbitration,  guilty  of 
perjury  and  arson , in  the  matter  of  the  burning  of  his  Daguerrean 
Rooms. 

I have  ever  been  a man  of  peace — but  I felt  that  a deep  and 
deadly  malice  lurked  in  the  dark  bosoms  of  the  Davy  party,  and 
I accordingly  prepared  for  war.  My  first  step  was  to  procure  a 
Revolver  ; secondly,  Col.  Pratt  sent  me  one  of  his  watch-dogs  ; 
and  thirdly,  my  neighbors  organized  what  I have  called  the 
“ Westkill  Police.”  The  latter  consisted  of  neighboring  farmers, 
and  others,  who  held  themselves  ready,  at  a moment’s  warning, 
to  come  to  the  rescue.  The  understanding  was,  that  in  case  of 
an  attack  we  were  to  sound  a “ watchman’s  rattle,”  which  was 
kindly  furnished  me  by  a Philadelphia  friend.  All  told,  we  had 
quite  a formidable  arrangement,  and  the  Bully  Davy  and  his 
cowardly  satellites  would  have  acquired  some  experience  in  the 
“ least  refrangible”  of  the  “ natural  colors,”  had  they  ventured 
an  attempt  at  executing  their  threat.  In  other  words — the  dog 
would  have  inserted  his  ivory  daggers  into  their  veins,  the 
revolver  would  have  enlarged  the  openings,  and  our  mountain 
boys  would  have  well  acted  their  part  in  the  play  of  “ catching 
a Tartar.”  The  threat  made  by  Davy  had  produced  a feeling  of 
indignation  throughout  this  whole  community  ; and  I say,  in  all 
seriousness,  that  it  is  well  the  redoubtable  “ Phot”  chose  the 
“ better  part  of  valor.” 

One  dark  night  we  were  alarmed  by  the  terrific  barking  of  the 
faithful  dog.  I immediately  arose  from  bed,  and  after  listening 
for  a few  moments  at  one  of  the  doors,  I became  satisfied  that  the 
enemy  was  around.  There  was  a tramping,  and  a strange  crawl- 
ing noise,  and  a sort  of  harsh,  grazing  sound,  as  if  hoarse  voices 
were  plotting  for  a deed  “ without  a name.”  I felt  sure  that  the 
villains  were  about  commencing  their  work,  and  such  was  my 
indignation  that  I forgot  all  about  the  “ rattle,”  and  the  thought 
of  summoning  the  “ Police ” did  not  enter  my  mind.  The  dog 


30 


HELIOCHROMY. 


put  in  his  high  notes,  after  a fashion  I had  never  heard  in  dog 
before.  I was  well  paid  for  my  fright  and  excitement  by  what  I 
learned  that  night  of  the  nature  of  the  canine  race.  Such  yelping, 
barking,  and  howling,  such  tiger  fierceness,  and  savage  ferocity, 
and  such  an  uncontrollable  anxiety  to  get  at  his  prey,  was 
surely  never  surpassed  by  dog  before.  As  the  noise  out  of  doors 
did  not  abate,  notwithstanding  the  terrors  of  that  dog’s  voice,  I 
really  began  to  have  quite  an  exalted  idea  of  “ Phot’s”  bravery. 

Grentle  reader,  have  patience,  and  I will  tell  you  the  sequel.  I 
am  aware  that  in  reading  stories  of  great  battles,  the  reader  is 
naturally  anxious  to  come  to  that  point  where  the  bugle  sounds 
the  charge,  and  he  can  hear  the  booming  thunder  of  the  cannon, 
and  the  crash  of  arms,  and  see  the  tide  of  battle  set  in  and  decide 
the  contest.  Therefore,  to  keep  you  no  longer  from  this  thril- 
ling point  in  my  story,  I will  state  the  interesting  fact,  that,  with 
no  other  soldier  but  the  dog,  I opened  the  door,  and  rushed  upon 
the  enemy — when,  lo  and  behold,  instead  of  meeting  the  chival- 
rous “ Phot”  and  his  ruffian  army — instead  of  having  a chance  to 
display  our  valor,  and  to  spit  out  the  fire  of  our  patriot  souls — we 
encountered  our  old  cow — which  discovery  the  dog  and  I both 
made  at  once.  It  is  quite  unnecessary  for  me  to  waste  words  in 
informing  the  reader  that  I felt  “ sold,”  and  that  the  dog  returned 
to  his  station  with  his  tail  pointed  downwards  towards  the  Chinese 
Empire. 

Lightly  as  I have  treated  this  item  in  my  history,  I assure  the 
reader  that  I was  seriously  afflicted  by  this  shameful  affair.  It 
formed  one  link  in  a chain  of  annoyances — not  a very  short  chain, 
either.  One  of  the  keenest  inflictions  a sensitive  nature  can 
endure,  is  to  feel  that  a complication  of  cruel  and  unjust  proceed- 
ings are  gathering,  like  storm-clouds,  around  our  pathway.  This, 
I could  easily  show,  was  my  situation  ; but  I will  draw  a curtain 
on  the  dark  scene,  and  let  my  enemies,  and  their  nefarious  ideas  of 
right  and  wrong,  sink  into  that  broad  immensity  of  contempt 
where  all  such  things  go.  Amid  all  these  trials  I had  a large 
circle  of  friends.  My  neighbors  were  very  kind  to  me,  and  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


31 


number  of  warm  friends  I found  in  tlie  photographic  circle  would 
have  to  be  counted  by  hundreds  and  thousands.  Among  the  lat- 
ter class,  who  were  early  by  my  side,  and  who  have  stood  by  me 
through  “ evil  and  good  report,”  I will  mention  Marcus  A.  Moot, 
Esq.,  and  Wm.  M.  Marshall,  Esq.,  Philadelphia,  C.  C.  Harrison, 
optician,  New  York,  and  Prof.  S.  F.  B.  Morse,  inventor  of  the 
magnetic  telegraph.  From  these  gentlemen,  who  have  been  fami- 
liar with  my  experiments,  I have  received  invaluable  counsel  and 
encouragement.  Their  names,  with  those  of  many  others,  are 
graven  upon  my  heart’s  best  affections. 

During  my  long  years  of  incarceration  within  the  walls  of  my 
laboratory  I have  brought  out  several  other  inventions.  Among 
the  number  I will  name  the  following  : 


1.  A GLASS  SILVERING  PROCESS. 

This  is  now  in  the  hands  of  the  “ American  Glass  Silvering 
Co.,”  New  York.  It  is  a process  for  depositing  pure  silver  on 
glass,  and  is  justly  ranked  among  the  gems  of  art.  This  inven- 
tion I sold  for  the  inappropriate  sum  of  $5,000.  It  is  worth  to- 
day, $500,000.  The  adaptation  of  India  rubber  cloth  to  this 
process,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  the  glass  articles  to  be  silvered, 
was  its  salvation.  My  $5,000,  inadequate  as  it  was,  turned  on  a 
piece  of  Vulcanized  Rubber.  Without  this,  the  process  could  not 
be  used  for  unequal  or  large  surfaces.  Among  the  applications  of 
the  process,  the  fabrication  of  Camera  Reflectors  is  not  the  least. 
No  other  reflector  half  as  good  as  these  was  ever  made. 


II.  THE  PANTOTYPE  ; 

A method  of  securing  a universal  focus.  By  its  means  a por- 
trait can  be  taken  with  a landscape  background,  and  groups  of 
any  number  may  be  produced  with  perfect  sharpness.  I have 


32 


HELIOCHROMY. 


greatly  simplified  this  process,  of  late,  entirely  dispensing  with 
the  use  of  the  expensive  concave  mirror. 


III.  A BEAUTIFUL  METHOD  OF  MAKING  DAGUERREOTYPE  PLATES. 

I silver  a plate  glass,  by  means  of  the  process  above  named, 
and  thicken  this  by  precipitating  copper  upon  it  by  the  electro- 
type, and  then  detach  the  plate  from  the  glass.  The  process  is 
simple  and  certain,  and  the  plates  of  very  superior  quality. 


IV.  THE  CHROMATINT. 

This  is  a method  of  coloring  Engravings  and  Photographs. 
The  effect  is  magnificent,  and  any  person  of  common  skill  can 
work  the  process.  The  engraving  is  rendered  transparent  by 
means  of  a varnish,  made  by  dissolving  Gum  Damar  in  turpen- 
tine. It  is  then  colored  in  oil  on  its  back  by  a system  of  daubing . 
The  effect  on  the  face  of  the  picture  is  really  beautiful.  The 
varnish  is  easily  made,  by  dissolving  lib.  of  Gum  Damar  in  one 
quart  of  Spirits  of  Turpentine,  by  the  aid  of  heat.  A little  Cam- 
phor Gum  added  to  it  renders  it  less  liable  to  crack.  It  is  first 
rubbed  into  the  back  of  the  picture,  and  then  floated  on  its  face 
until  the  paper  is  rendered  transparent.  The  colors  used  are  the 
common  oil  colors. 


V.  THE  ALCOHOL  PROCESS. 

By  means  of  which  I procure  alcohol  direct  from  its  gaseous 
elements.  The  cost  of  manufacture  will  not  exceed  ten  cents  per 
gallon.  I shall  bring  this  discovery  before  the  public  at  an  early 
day. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


33 


VI.  A NEW  LIGHT — 

Far  exceeding  in  brilliancy  tlie  ordinary  gas-light — perfectly 
safe  and  simple,  and  cheaper  than  tallow  candles.  This  is  my 
latest  invention,  and  I am  now  busy  in  preparing  it  for  public 
inspection  and  sale.  All  who  have  seen  it  agree  that  it  will 
supersede  the  ordinary  gas-light  at  once,  and  that  no  other  plan 
for  a “ Portable  Light  ” will  at  all  compare  with  it.  The  light  is 
'perfectly  white , from  its  base  up,  emits  no  smell  or  smoke,  is  soft 
and  pleasing  to  the  eye,  and  yields  much  more  light  than  any 
other  device.  The  trouble  of  keeping  it  in  working  order  is  no 
more  per  day  than  that  of  trimming  one  oil  lamp.  It  entirely 
does  awray  with  all  the  terrors  of  camphene,  vaporized  hydro-car- 
bons, and  “ noisome”  odor  of  the  ordinary  gas-light,  with  the 
impositions  and  cheats  of  gas  companies,  and  is  beautifully  adapted 
to  family  use , hotels,  factories,  churches,  street  lights,  stores,  shops , 
&c.  &c. 

I now  return  to  a subject  of  most  painful  interest  to  my  feel- 
ings— viz.  the  sickness  and  death  of  the  companion  of  my  youth. 
For  two  entire  years  she  writhed  under  the  agonies  of  that  ter- 
rific malady — the  consumption.  In  the  circular  I promised  to 
give  a “ peculiar  method  of  treatment  by  which  her  life  was 
greatly  prolonged,”  and,  I may  add,  her  pathway  to  the  cold 
grave  greatly  smoothed,  and  freed  from  the  pangs  and  horrors  of 
that  thorny  way.  The  method  consisted  of  four  parts.  1.  The 
warm  bath,  as  often  as  every  other  day,  and  sponging  off  with  cold 
alcohol,  and  friction  with  a crash  towel.  2.  A drink  of  the  tea  of 
black  alder  bark,  yellow  dock , prince's  pine,  the  twigs  of  white  pine, 
burdock  root  and  sarsaparilla.  These  articles  were  infused  in  warm, 
not  hot  water — the  tea  strained  and  cooled-^and  used  constantly, 
without  any  other  drink.  3.  Inhalants — not  Hunter’s  iodide  of  ethyle 
(this  she  tried  to  her  sorrow),  but  tepid  infusions  of  herbs  and  roots. 
In  the  selection  of  the  articles  I was  guided  by  her  symptoms. 
If  her  cough  was  dry  I used  hoarhound , boneset,  lobelia,  liquorice , 

3 


34 


HELIOCHROMY. 


Iceland  moss,  and  other  expectorants  and  demulcents.  If  there 
was  too  free  expectoration,  I us’ed  elecampane,  red  raspberry 
leaves,  witch  hazel  barh,  bayberry  bark,  and  other  astringents. 
For  anodyne  effect,  I used  poppies,  wild  lettuce , valerian,  &c.  4. 

Particular  attention  was  paid  to  the  extremities.  If  they  became 
cold  I used  bottles  of  hot  water,  applied  to  the  feet,  hands,  and 
spine.  By  keeping  the  bottles  on  that  portion  of  the  spine  oppo- 
site the  distress  in  the  lungs,  I generally  succeeded  in  producing 
a lull  of  the  pain,  and  great  relief  to  the  constricted  state  of  the 
chest,  which  was  an  invariable  attendant  of  cold  extremities. 

The  relief  afforded  by  these  simple  means  was  an  astonishment 
to  neighbors  and  physicians  who  were  familiar  with  the  case.  I 
will  further  remark,  that  these,  or  any  other  means,  are  useless 
unless  persevered  in.  Being  simple  and  harmless  in  themselves, 
they  may  be  freely  and  continuously  applied  without  the  slight- 
est harm.  If  these  statements  shall  lead  to  the  use  of  this  simple 
plan,  by  even  one  poor  consumptive,  I shall  be  amply  repaid  for 
the  risk  I run  of  being  charged  with  a palpable  digression. 

Alas  ! Alas  ! after  all  my  pains,  and  my  two  years’  hard  toil, 
by  night  and  by  day,  I was  doomed  to  see  the  final  triumph  of 
the  relentless  malady.  My  agony,  and  that  of  my  children,  in 
that  hour  when  remedies  lost  their  virtue,  when  the  yearnings  of 
natural  affection  became  vain,  and  when  the  pallor  of  death  over« 
spread  those  loved  features,  I will  not  attempt  to  depict.  Nei- 
ther will  I refer  to  the  gloom,  and  loneliness,  and  withering 
blight  of  every  earthly  joy,  which  followed  this  affliction.  Those 
only  who  experience,  can  realize  the  feelings  of  a family  thus 
bereaved ! 

The  following  notice  of  this  sad  event  appeared  in  the  New 
York  Chronicle.  It  was  written  by  her  pastor  and  mine,  Rev. 
A.  E.  Clark. 

“Emeline  B.  Hill.  Died,  at  Westkill,  Greene  Co.,  Hew  York,  March  23, 
Mrs.  Emeline  B.  Hill,  the  beloved  wife  of  Rev.  L,  L.  Hill,  aged  thirty-eight 
years. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


35 


“At  an  early  period  of  her  life,  Sister  Hill  became  the  subject  of  soul- 
saving  religious  impressions,  put  on  Christ  by  immersion,  and  became  at- 
tached to  the  Baptist  Church,  of  which  she  remained  a member,  till  sum- 
moned to  join  the  triumphant  ranks  of  the  general  assembly  and  church  of 
the  first-born  before  the  throne. 

“ Her  last  sickness  was  severe  and  protracted.  For  many  months  she  was 
pining  and  wasting  away,  and  all  the  streams  of  vitality  within  her  gradually 
failing,  under  the  relentless  influence  of  deadly  consumption,  in  its  worst, 
its  most  inveterate  form.  When  she  became  fully  conscious  of  her  situation, 
and  felt  herself  within  the  grasp  of  a disease  which  would  never  relax  its 
hold  upon  her  frame  till  it  had  brought  her  to  the  house  appointed  for  all 
the  living,  she  bowed  in  submission  to  the  will  of  heaven,  commended  her 
family  to  the  care  of  a covenant-keeping  God,  and  calmly  and  peacefully 
awaited  the  final  issue,  assured  that  death  would  be  her  eternal  gain,  and 
that  when  absent  from  the  body  she  should  be  present  with  the  Lord.  When 
the  hour  of  her  departure  arrived,  she  was  fully  prepared  to  welcome  the 
King  of  Terrors  with  a smile  ; and  with  the  unclouded  eye  of  faith  could  see 
the  pearly  gates  unfolded,  and  the  heavenly  charioteers  who  waited  to  waft 
her  emancipated  spirit  to  its  home  in  the  skies.  Besting  with  implicit  con- 
fidence upon  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  upon  the  promises  of  the 
gospel,  death,  to  her,  was  bereft  of  its  sting,  and  her  end  unalloyed  peace. 

“ It  must  be  gratifying  to  all  connected  with  our  departed  sister,  to  know 
that  everything  that  human  and  Christian  affection  could  do  to  alleviate  her 
sufferings,  soothe  her  mind,  and  soften  her  dying  pillow,  was  cheerfully  and 
assiduously  done.  Our  bereaved  brother,  moved  by  the  promptings  of 
warm  affection  and  deep  sympathy  towards  a suffering  and  dying  wife, 
suspended  experiments  which  possessed  an  interest  of  the  deepest  intensity 
to  his  mind,  arising  from  the  discoveries  which  he  had  made,  and  the  pursuit 
of  which  had  almost  become  an  indispensable  necessity  of  his  nature,  and  for 
long  months  of  deep  anxiety  devoted  himself  unremittingly  as  a minister  to 
her  wants  and  wishes.  A large  circle  of  relatives  and  friends  also  stood 
ready  at  all  times,  by  offices  of  kindness,  to  give  practical  and  palpable 
evidence  of  the  sympathies  of  their  hearts. 

“The  Baptist  Church  in  Westkill  mourn  another  sad  breach  made  in  their 
ranks ; but  rejoice  in  the  confidence  that  their  loss  has  added  to  the  number 
of  those  who  compose  the  family  above.”  A.  E.  C. 


The  wearisome  months  that  followed  this  heavy  blow,  I will 
pass  over  in  silence.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  after  a period  of  suf- 
fering which  pen  cannot  describe,  I resolved  on  availing  myself 


36 


HELIOCHROMY. 


of  the  beneficent  provisions  of  nature,  as  an  antidote  to  my  griefs. 
God  himself  hath  said,  “ It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone .”  My 
eminently  social  nature  required  a place  to  repose  itself — my 
affections  needed  a “ place  of  habitation  ” — and  I committed  the 
crime  of  a second  marriage.  On  the  28th  of  November,  1855,  I 
married  Miss  Ellen  Webber,  daughter  of  Henry  Webber,  Esq., 
Greenville,  Greene  Co.,  New  York.  Had  I not  thought  her  to  he 
“ the  fairest  among  women,”  as  King  Solomon  expresses  it,  I 
would  have  looked  farther.  To  reveal  the  whole  truth — I 
adopted  the  old-fashioned  plan  of  marrying  for  love,  and  not  for 
policy,  and  I acted  on  the  awful  assumption,  that  I had  a perfect 
right  to  marry  whom  and  when  I pleased,  albeit  the  officious  in- 
termeddling and  “ match-making  ” propensities  of  my  acquaint- 
ances. “ This  was  the  head  and  front  of  my  offending.”  But 
for  this,  my  unparalleled  impudence,  I have  been  subjected  to 
a “ course  of  treatment  ” quite  sufficient  to  medicate  any  one 
mind  with  a full  knowledge  of  “ human  nature  in  its  blackest 
apparel.” 

I used  to  think  I understood  human  nature  ; hut  I was  quite 
mistaken.  I never  graduated  in  the  science  until  the  past  winter. 
Now  I have  my  diploma,  and  though  I would  not  he  egotistical, 
I will  say,  that  I consider  myself  fully  qualified  to  diagnose  a 
Judas  neighbor,  a hypocritical  friend,  a gossiping,  gabbling  circle 
of  mischief  making  women,  and  the  charms  of  that  state  of  society 
in  which  large  numbers  are  skilled  in  the  highly  respectable  art 
of  attending  to  everybody’s  business  hut  their  own,  and  wofully 
deficient  in  that  occupation  whose  poetry  is — 

“ Trouble  your  head  with  your  own  affairs.” 

Nothing  is  more  provoking  than  to  he  made  the  subject  of  un- 
founded gossip,  unless  it  is  to  witness  the  perfidy  and  hollow- 
heartedness of  those  we  have  regarded  as  confidential  friends,  in 
becoming  one  of  the  parties  to  scandal ; for  it  is  an  old  and  true 
saying — “ It  takes  two  to  make  a slander  : one  to  tell  it,  and  one 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


37 


to  listen  to  it.”  These  things  are  still  more  aggravating  when 
they  exist  in  those  who  are  indebted  to  us  for  important  services. 
And  when,  after  the  tattling  race-course  has  had  its  run,  to  have 
those  self-same  traitors  come  marching  around,  for  a renewal  of 
intercourse,  with  the  lie  on  their  lips  that  they  meant  no  harm, 
is  rather  too  much  for  a man  who  knows  what  truth,  decency, 
law,  and  gospel  are.  I have  had  some  “ unlooked  for  ” expe- 
rience in  these  things  ; but  thank  God,  I have  been  blessed  with 
the  counsels  and  smiles  of  one  who  is  to  me  as  a “ guardian 
angel,”  and  I have  been  kept  from  resentment  when  I had  it  in 
my  power  to  punish  severely. 

On  the  whole,  I can  say  with  another,  “ Why  should  a living 
man  complain  ?”  Notwithstanding  the  ills  of  this  world,  I love 
to  live  in  it.  It  is  a place  of  beauty  ; it  is  filled  with  delights  ; 
it  has  ten  thousand  sources  of  enjoyment ; and  none  of  them, 
perhaps,  aside  from  religion  itself,  are  superior  to  those  joys 
which  grow  on  the  tree  of  science.  And  now,  after  nine  years 
devoted  application  to  the  pursuit  of  “ hidden  things,”  I cannot 
say  that  I look  back  on  my  course  with  a single  regret,  except 
what  arises  from  my  own  deficiencies. 

Kind  reader — may  you  and  I he  found  filling  our  stations  and 
improving  our  talents  for  the  good  of  our  race  ; may  it  be  said 
of  us  that  we  lived  in  the  world  without  hurting  it ; and  when 
death  shall  summon  us  to  eternal  scenes,  may  we  have  an  abiding 
hope  in  the  Redeemer  of  sinners,  and  go  to  dwell  in  the  “ house 
not  made  with  hands,”  eternal  in  the  heavens. 

L.  L.  Hill. 

Westkill,  Greene  Cor. , New  York,  June  15,  1856. 


■ 

. 

' 


. 

. 

’ 


TREATISE  ON  HELIOCHROMY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Light — Various  Theories — Atomic  and  Wave  Theories — Properties  of  Light 

— Actinic  Principle  in  Light — The  Photogenic  Ray. 

Several  theories  have  heen  advanced  respecting  the  nature  and 
propagation  of  light ; but  as  only  two  of  them  have  commanded 
the  general  attention  of  philosophical  minds,  I will  confine  my 
remarks  to  these. 

1.  The  Corpuscular  View.  This  supposes  that  light  is  com- 
posed of  particles,  of  excessive  minuteness,  projected  from  the 
luminous  body  with  a velocity  equal  to  nearly  200,000  miles  in  a 
second.  This  was  Sir  Isaac  Newton’s  hypothesis.  Till  recent- 
ly, it  has  been  agreed  to  by  the  great  majority  of  opticians. 

2.  The  Wave  or  Undulating  Theory  regards  light  as  an  ethe- 
real fluid  of  great  elasticity;  propagated  from  luminous  bodies 
with  inconceivable  rapidity.  The  manner  of  propagation  is  sup- 
posed to  be  by  a sort  of  tremor  or  undulation.  The  motion  of  a 
wave  over  the  surface  of  water  partially  illustrates  this  view. 
The  ripple  caused  by  casting  a stone  into  water,  in  the  celerity, 
uniformity,  and  rapidity  with  which  it  spreads  in  every  direction, 


40 


HELIOCHROMY. 


is  a very  striking  expression  of  the  wave  theory  of  light.  Equal- 
ly to  the  point,  is  the  conveyance  of  sound  through  the  atmo- 
sphere. In  this  we  do  not  so  readily  perceive  the  action,  but  we 
can  often  hear  it  in  the  reverberations  caused  by  projecting 
points,  and  in  the  vibrations  sound  itself,  caused  in  passing  over  a 
tight  string,  as  a fiddle  string,  or  any  frail  elastic  substance,  as  a 
thin  tube  of  glass,  a drum-head,  a sheet  of  metal,  &c. 

Both  of  these  hypotheses  appear  probable,  though  they  widely 
differ.  Both  afford  an  explanation  of  many  phenomena ; but 
they  are  both  beset  by  difficulties  of  a grave  character.  If,  for 
example,  light  is  made  up  of  particles  of  ponderable  matter,  how- 
ever small  these  particles  may  be,  would  they  not,  with  a motion 
of  200,000  miles  a second,  possess,  in  an  eminent,  an  irresistible 
degree,  the  power  of  impact — one  of  the  most  tremendous  forces 
in  nature  ? See  what  the  slight  tap  of  a hammer  will  do.  It 
will  impress  and  indent  bodies  to  an  extent  which  it  would  re- 
quire tons  of  pressure  to  produce.  Even  a tallow  candle,  pro- 
jected from  a gun  at  the  rate  of  only  1,000  feet  per  second, 
will  pass  through  an  inch  board.  Would  not  those  little  things, 
luminous  particles  of  light,  so  small  indeed  that  millions  of  them, 
collected  by  a lens,  are  imperceptible  through  the  strongest  mi- 
croscope— so  small  that  they  must  be  sharper  than  the  finest 
point  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge — would  they  not,  I say, 
penetrate  everything — not  only  the  tender  coats  of  the  eye,  but 
the  hardest  and  most  opaque  bodies  ? Would  they  not,  like 
other  projectiles,  destroy  everything  mortal  ] And  would  not 
iron,  and  brass,  and  marble,  and  wood,  lose  all  reflective  power, 
and  become  as  transparent  as  glass.  With  objections  to  the 
atomic  theory  thus  weighty,  must  we  not  infer  that  light  is  some- 
thing far  different  from  ponderable  matter  ? 

If  so,  are  we  to  settle  down  upon  the  ethereal  view  ? By  so 
doing,  we  will  have  to  encounter  another  class  of  objections, 
arising  from  the  fact  itself  of  imponderability.  Is  it  possible  that 
there  exists  a fluid,  or  gas,  so  inconceivably  thin  as  to  pass 
through  the  gaseous  elements,  the  liquids,  &c.,  and  in  so  few  in-. 


LIGHT. 


41 


stances  have  its  properties  altered  ? If  light  is  a fluid,  or  gas,  is 
it  not  possessed  of  chemical  properties  ? and  if  so,  how  can  it  min- 
gle so  freely  with  so  many  chemical  agents,  and,  as  it  were, 
“ run  the  gauntlet  ” untouched  and  uninjured  'l  These  and 
many  other  objections  to  both  of  these  views,  are  of  a grave 
character.  Still,  I do  not  say  they  are  unanswerable.  The 
whole  subject  of  the  nature  of  light,  not  only  in  my  mind,  but  in 
the  minds  of  the  most  profound  philosophers,  is  involved  in  much 
obscurity.  • The  properties  of  light  are  better  understood. 

One  property  of  light  is  that  it  is  propagated  from  luminous 
bodies  in  all  directions.  This  is  true  not  only  of  the  sun’s  light, 
but  of  the  electric  spark,  phosphorescence,  a red  hot  iron,  or  the 
flame  of  a candle.  The  sun  illumines,  not  only  the  earth,  but 
the  planets,  comets,  and  all  bodies  in  the  firmament.  A simple 
demonstration  of  this  proposition,  is  by  placing  a lamp,  or 
candle,  in  the  centre  of  a room,  and  observing  it  from  different 
points. 

A second  property  of  light  is,  that  in  a homogeneous  medium, 
it  always  moves  in  straight  lines.  Light  will  not  travel  through 
a bent  tube,  but  it  passes  freely  through  a straight  tube.  Again, 
if  three  cards,  or  plates  of  metal,  each  pierced  with  a small  hole, 
are  placed  in  such  a position  as  that  the  holes  are  exactly  oppo- 
site to  each  other,  the  light  will  pass  freely  through  them,  but  if 
the  holes  are  not  in  a straight  line  the  light  will  not  pass. 

A third  property  of  light  is,  that  it  requires  time  for  its  propa- 
gation. Within  any  terrestrial  distance  its  passage  may  be  re- 
garded as  instantaneous.  Astronomy  furnishes  the  means,  not 
only  of  detecting  its  actual  propagation,  but  of  measuring  its 
velocity  with  great  precision.  The  eclipses  and  emersions  of 
Jupiter’s  satellites  become  visible  about  16  minutes  26  seconds 
earlier  when  the  earth  is  at  its  least  distance  from  J upiter,  than 
when  it  is  at  its  greatest.  It  requires,  therefore,  about  fifteen 
minutes  for  light  to  travel  through  the  earth’s  orbit.  Now,  the 
sun’s  distance  from  the  earth  being  about  95,000,000  of  miles,  it 
follows  that  light  travels  with  the  prodigious  velocity  of  nearly 


42 


HELIOCHROMY. 


200,000  miles  in  a second.  At  this  rate  it  would  encircle  the 
earth  in  the  eighth  part  of  a second.  This  calculation  appears 
incredible,  hut  no  result  of  science  is  more  certain. 

Another  property  of  light  is  reflection.  When  it  falls  on  a 
smooth  polished  surface,  it  does  not  stay  there,  and  is  not  ab- 
sorbed as  when  it  encounters  other  bodies,  such  as  black  velvet, 
but  it  is  returned  from  the  surface  at  an  angle  equal  to  the  angle 
of  incidence,  and  continues  the  new  direction  in  a straight  line, 
as  before  the  reflection.  The  quantity  of  light  thus  reflected  de- 
pends on  the  nature  and  polish  of  the  surface,  and  on  the  angle 
of  incidence,  being  greatest  when  that  angle  is  small.  None  of 
the  ordinary  reflectors,  as  tin,  silver  plate,  mercury,  speculum- 
metal,  &c.,  reflect  more  than  tliree-fourths  of  the  incident  light. 
But  a properly  constructed  reflector,  made  of  the  best  French 
plate-glass,  and  silvered  by  my  silvering  process,*  reflects  nearly 
all  the  light.  A piece  of  one  of  my  mirrors,  placed  at  an  angle 
in  front  of  a camera  lens,  will  give  a picture  almost,  if  not  quite 
as  quickly  as  the  lenses  alone.  I have  a plan,  recently  devised, 
by  which  I can  form  a reflector  for  the  telescope  of  any  required 
dimensions — say  within  twelve  feet  diameter.  It  will  be  made 
on  glass,  and  yet  have  no  one  objection  arising  from  the  inequa- 
lities of  structure  which  exist  in  all  glass.  The  plan  consists  in 
silvering  a large  and  very  perfect  glass,  backing  up  the  silver  by 
a novel,  but  easy  method,  and  then  detaching  it  from  the  glass. 
The  objection  of  “ double  reflection,”  one  from  the  silver,  and 
one  from  the  surface  of  the  glass,  and  of  distortion,  occasioned  by 
the  inequalities  of  the  glass,  would  be  completely  obviated.  At 
the  same  time,  the  reflector  would  be  far  more  level  than  metal 
can  be  made  in  any  other  way,  and  the  polish  is  an  incomparable 
distance  ahead  of  what  can  be  obtained  in  any  other  way. 

A fifth  property  of  light  is  refraction ; that  is,  its  susceptibi- 
lity of  being  bent  or  turned  from  its  course  on  its  entering 

* Now  owned,  and  most  successfully  worked,  by  the  “American  Glass 
Silvering  Company,”  New  York. 


ACTINIC  PRINCIPLE  IN  LIGHT. 


43 


certain  media.  The  angle  of  refraction  depends  on  the  nature  of 
the  medium.  In  the  liquids,  and  most  of  the  uncrystallized  sub- 
stances, the  refraction  is  all  in  one  direction.  In  most  crystal- 
lized media,  part  of  the  refracted  light  follows  one  course,  and 
part  of  it  a different  one.  In  this  case  the  refraction  is  said  to  be 
double. 

The  last  property  of  light  which  I shall  mention  here,  is  its 
relations  to  actinism  and  heat.  It  was  long  thought  that  the 
chemical  changes  induced  through  the  agency  of  light  are  owing 
to  its  heat,  and  it  is  still  a commonly  received  opinion  that  these 
changes  are  wrought  by  luminosity.  With  Sir  Robert  Hunt,  Sir 
John  Ilerschel,  Edmund  Becquerel,  and  other  philosophers,  I 
think  that  it  is  demonstrable  that  both  of  these  views  are  incor- 
rect. Neither  heat  nor  luminosity  has  much,  if  anything,  to  do 
with  these  changes.  A photograph  is  the  result  of  the  actinic 
power  or  property  residing  in  light.  A few  simple  experiments 
will  determine  the  truth  of  this  view,  thus  : 

1.  In  each  of  the  seven  colors  of  the  spectrum  place  a thermo- 
meter. The  one  in  the  red  ray  will  indicate  the  greatest  heat, 
and  so  on  up  to  the  violet  ray,  where  the  heat  will  be  least. 

2.  Remove  the  thermometers,  and  place  in  the  spectrum  a sen- 
sitive surface,  as  chloride  of  silver  paper,  and  you  will  find  that 
the  violet  ray,  which  produced  the  least  heat,  will  induce  the 
greatest  darkening  of  the  paper. 

3.  Place  in  the  spectrum  a strip  of  white  paper,  and  you  will 
find  it  most  illuminated  under  the  yellow  ray — one  of  the  rays 
which  produced  so  little  darkening  of  the  paper.  Under  the 
violet  ray,  v'here  the  actinic  effect  was  greatest,  the  illumination 
will  be  very  slight. 

The  same  effects  may  be  produced,  though  not  so  perfectly, 
with  seven  colored  glasses,  or  with  bottles  filled  with  colored 
liquids.  In  this  case  the  colored  media  should  interpose  between 
the  thermometers,  the  photographic  paper,  and  the  plain  paper, 
and  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun. 

The  lack  of  photogenic  power  in  the  illuminating  rays,  and  the 


44 


HELIOCHROMY. 


superiority  of  the  non-illuminating  rays,  as  the  blue  and  violet, 
may  also  be  shown  as  follows  : Prepare  a piece  of  photographic 
paper,  and  over  one  part  of  it  place  a yellow  glass,  and  over  the 
other  part  of  it  a blue  or  violet  glass,  and  expose  them  to  the 
sun  equal  lengths  of  time — say  three  or  four  minutes.  The  por- 
tion under  the  yellow  glass  will  be  but  slightly  darkened,  while 
that  under  the  blue,  or  violet,  will  be  nearly  or  quite  black.  A 
similar  difference  will  be  observed  in  the  use  of  the  Daguerreo- 
type plate. 

These  simple  experiments  will  amply  demonstrate  the  propo- 
sition, that  the  powers  of  light  are  distinct  from  and  independent 
of  each  other.  At  the  same  time  they  act  in  perfect  harmony, 
though  most  intimately  blended  and  compounded  together. 
What  I have  written  above  is  true  of  Daguerreotype,  Calotype, 
Ambrotype,  Chromatype,  Cyanotype,  Chrysotype,  Energialtype, 
and  the  whole  category  of  types  in  which  only  light  and  shade 
are  concerned.  I now  have  to  repeat  a statement,  the  first  pub- 
lication of  which,  about  six  years  ago,  in  my  announcement  of 
the  discovery  of  natural  colors,  created  much  surprise,  and  not  a 
little  incredulity  in  the  minds  of  scientific  men.  It  is  this  : 
That  the  whole  philosophy  of  types,  as  represented  above,  in  re- 
gard to  Actinism,  or  Ray  Power,  is  found  to  be  inapplicable  to 
my  Heliochromic  processes,  excepting,  indeed,  the  relations  of 
heat.  In  all  the  results  I have  attained  in  natural  colors,  whe- 
ther on  plates,  paper,  or  collodion,  I have  found  the  yellow  ray 
most  powerful,  the  orange  next,  the  light  green  next,  the  red 
next,  the  indigo  next,  the  blue  next,  and  the  violet  least,  I have 
also  been  tormented  with  the  anomaly  of  the  dark  green  some- 
times acting  slowly,  and  frequently  not  at  all,  while  at  other 
times  it  works  with  great  energy. 

I merely  state  facts,  without  feeling  any  obligation  to  account 
for  them.  Indeed,  I can  give  but  one  solution  of  the  problem, 
which  is,  that  mine  is  a colorific,  while  the  other  types  are  re- 
ducing processes.  These  all  reduce  the  sensitive  agents  em- 
ployed to  certain  conditions  of  oxide,  or  to  the  metallic  state, 


TIIE  PHOTOGENIC  KAY. 


45 


while  the  heliochrome  leaves  its  surfaces  at  a great  remove  from 
the  metallic  state,  and  brings  about  certain  forms  of  matter  pro- 
ductive of  color. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  continue  this  essay  on  the  nature 
and  properties  of  light ; but  I have  so  much  to  write  about  which 
is  more  immediately  connected  with  the  main  subject  of  this 
volume,  that  I will  forbear.  Thus  far,  I have  given  no  more 
than  a cursory  glance  at  the  principal  rudiments  which  lie  at  the 
foundation  of  my  grand  theme.  The  next  chapter  will  embrace 
my  views  of  light  as  a composition  of  colored  rays,  and  as  the 
source  of  all  color. 


46 


HELIOCHROMY. 


CHAPTEB  II. 


Chromatics — Light  a compound  of  Colored  Rays — Proof  by  the  Prism — Iri- 
descence— Coloring  Matter  and  the  Chromatic  Rays — Porosity  of  Matter — » 
Curious  Properties  of  Various  Bodies — Mica — Mother  of  Pearl — Iodide  of 
Mercury — The  Soap  Bubble — Coating  of  the  Daguerreotype  Plate — Iodine 
Rings — Metallo-Chromes — Potatoe  growing  above  Ground — Plants  grown 
in  Darkness — Autumnal  Leaves — Varnish  on  Water — Chlorophyle — These 
instances  partly  Mechanical  and  Chemical — Can  a Surface  be  prepared  on 
which  Light  itself  will  produce  similar  Changes  ? 

What  is  light  in  respect  to  its  ingredients  ? What  is  the  character 
of  its  component  parts  ? To  the  eye  it  appears  white.  A skil- 
ful colorist,  with  the  primary  colors  on  his  palette,  will  compound 
a tolerable  white.  The  All-wise  One,  with  a few  primary 
colored  rays,  illuminates  our  eyes  with  a pure,  soft,  perfect  white 
light.  Presently  I will  come  to  the  proof  of  this  fact.  For  the 
present  I will  dwell  on  the  fact  itself.  Look  at  a candle  blaze. 
It  is  white,  barring  a slight  tinge  of  yellow.  The  latter  is  refer- 
able to  impurities  in  the  tallow.  The  same  is  true  of  oil.  Spei- 
maceti  is  a purer  hydro-carbon — so  is  camphene,  or  “ burning- 
fluid”— hence  their  more  brilliant  light.  Olefiant  gas  is  freed 
from  many  of  its  impurities  in  the  manufacture — hence  the  greater 
purity  of  its  light.  The  “ Argand  Lamp,”  by  giving  the  blaze 
an  abundance  of  oxygen,  and  thus  consuming  the  excess  of 
carbon,  affords  a very  white  light.  The  “ Drummond  light,”  by 
the  intense  heat  of  the  oxy -hydrogen  blaze,  strongly  ignites  a 
small  globe  of  lime,  and  gives  a light  of  surprising  intensity  and 
clearness.  The  “Voltaic  light”  is  another  instance  of  the 
triumph  of  heat  over  the  impurities  which  dim  the  “ Holy  Thing” 
called  light.  But  all  these  instances  are  but  glow-worms  com- 


CHROMATICS. 


47 


pared  with  that  great  source  of  light,  the  Sun.  The  emanations 
from  that  luminary  are  perfectly  white.  True,  we  never  fully 
see  this  to  be  the  case — but  this  is  owing  to  our  looking  at'  it,  as 
it  were,  “ through  a glass,  darkly.”  That  glass  is  our  atmo- 
sphere, and  the  regions  of  ether  beyond.  But  when  we  consider 
that  between  us  and  old  Sol  lies  a stratum  of  air  and  ether,  ninety- 
six  million  miles  thick,  and  that  the  dimness  and  discoloration 
occasioned  thereby  is  very  slight,  may  we  not  say  with  an  in- 
spired writer,  “ Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works,  Lord  God 
Almighty.” 

It  is  well  that  the  whiteness  of  light  is  not  perfectly  apparent. 
It  would  be  too  much  of  a stimulus  to  the  visual  organs,  and 
would  become  tedious  from  its  own  monotony.  As  it  is,  both  of 
these  objections  are  obviated.  Not  only  is  the  eye  constantly 
bathing  in  a healthy  element,  but  there  is  an  amazing  variety  in 
the  softening  tints — just  enough  to  give  a pleasing  diversity,  and 
seldom  extending  to  extremes  of  contrast.  This  beautiful 
arrangement  is  of  the  first  importance  to  Photography.  If  this 
variation  in  the  whiteness  of  light  was  as  great  as  we  can  imagine 
it  might  be — if  it  was  as  marked  as  the  changes  in  the  weather, 
the  difficulty  of  “ timing  ” Camera  pictures  would  be  increased 
to  almost  an  impossibility. 

It  is  now  conceded  by  all  respectable  opticians,  that  this  color- 
less white  light  incloses  in  its  gossamer  folds,  and  may  be  made 
to  disclose,  the  most  gorgeous  and  magnificent  colors.  A simple 
proof  of  this  is  by  means  of  the  prism.  This  contrivance  enables 
us  to  decompose  and  examine — than  which  there  is  no  surer  road 
to  certain  knowledge.  If  you  pass  a ray  of  sun-light  through  a 
piece  of  flat  glass,  it  will  give  a white  dot  on  a dark  screen. 
Now,  take  a triangular  glass — in  other  words,  a glass  rod  ground 
to  three  sides,  and  polished.  This  is  a prism.  An  icicle,  of  the 
same  shape,  is  a prism — so  is  a three  square  phial  filled  with 
water.  The  pendants  of  a parlor  lamp,  or  girandole,  though  not 
perfectly  triangular,  answer  very  well  for  prisms.  They  may  be 
called  prismoids.  Pass  a ray  of  sun-light  through  one  of  these 


48 


HELIOCHROMY. 


prisms,  and  you  will  find  on  the  screen  beautiful  bands  of  colors. 
These  colors  are  seven  in  number — namely,  red,  orange,  yellow, 
green,  blue,  indigo,  and  violet ; and  they  melt  into  each  other  by 
insensible  gradations.  It  seems  impossible  to  define  the  limits  at 
which  one  color  ends  and  another  begins.  Nothing  could  be 
more  beautiful  than  these  colors.  This  is  called  the  solar  spec- 
trum. It  is  a rainbow,  in  another  shape,  and  of  a reduced  size  ; 
but  the  colors  of  a well  defined  spectrum  are  far  more  brilliant 
than  those  of  the  rainbow.  I have  said  that  the  spectrum  is 
composed  of  seven  colors.  Three  of  these,  red,  blue,  and  yellow, 
may  be  regarded  as  primaries  ; the  other  four,  I believe,  are 
secondary  colors,  compounded  from  the  primaries.  Blue  and 
yellow  form  green ; red  and  blue  form  violet ; red  and  yellow 
form  orange  ; and  as  for  the  indigo  ray,  I think  it  is  blue,  inter- 
mingled with  some  of  the  dark  lines  of  the  spectrum,  of  which 
there  are  about  600,  or  with  violet. 

There  are  many  other  instances  of  the  prismatic  decomposi- 
tion of  white  light.  The  colors  on  mother  of  pearl,  mica,  and 
other  striated  and  grooved  surfaces,  are  referable  to  this  cause, 
though  the  modus  of  the  phenomenon  is  very  difficult  to  explain. 
The  iridescence,  or  play  of  colors,  produced  by  thin  films  of  mat- 
ter, is  another  result  of  the  same  law.  Sprinkle  a little  spirit 
varnish  on  the  surface  of  water,  and  you  will  have  the  effect  per- 
fectly. You  may  even  lift  out  the  delicate  interminglings  on  a 
sheet  of  paper,  and  they  will  remain  permanent.  They  cannot 
fade  unless  the  material  which  forms  the  film  is  photogenic,  for 
the  color  depends  on  the  form  and  relative  degrees  of  tenuity  of 
the  matter. 

We  now  arrive  at  a most  vital  part  of  our  theory.  What  is 
coloring  matter  ? or,  what  is  colored  matter  ? or,  is  there  any 
such  thing  as  colored  matter  ? That  is,  is  there  a specific  color- 
ing principle  in  matter,  irrespective  of  the  colored  rays  of  light  ? 
I hold  that  there  is  not.  Practical  Heliochromy  teaches  me,  at 
every  step,  that  all  color  is  due  to  light ; the  nature  of  the  color 
of  any  piece  of  matter  is  governed  by  the  form  of  that  matter ; 


COLORING  MATTER. 


49 


and  the  way  the  form  of  bodies  governs  their  colors  is  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  absorption  and  refraction.  What  I mean  is  this  : a given 
body,  for  example  gold,  will  absorb  all  the  colors  hut  one  ; that 
one  colored  ray  (in  the  case  of  gold  it  is  yellow)  will  remain 
unabsorbed  on  the  surface,  and  be  refracted  to  the  eye  as  a cer- 
tain color,  and  strike  the  senses  as  if  the  body  was  colored  speci- 
fically by  some  inherent  coloring  principle.  All  bodies  are  porous, 
In  other  words,  matter  is  filled  with  holes.  These  holes,  or 
pores,  vary  in  size  and  shape.  The  ultimate  particles  of  light, 
also,  we  may  suppose,  vary  in  size  and  shape.  Of  course  a given 
form  of  matter  will  absorb  certain  rays,  and  retain  on  its  surface, 
and  refract  other  rays.  A piece  of  carmine  will  absorb  all  the 
rays  but  the  red ; indigo  all  but  the  blue  ; chrome  yellow  all  but 
the  yellow.  This,  these  substances  will  do  even  in  thin  strata. 
Other  substances  will  retain  on  their  surfaces  two  of  the  prima- 
ries at  once — hence  the  formation  of  green,  violet,  orange,  and 
their  innumerable  tints.  Change  the  form  of  the  matter,  and  the 
color  changes  at  once  without  the  intervention  of  any  specific 
coloring  principle.  Even  gold  in  a certain  form  is  a dark  maho- 
gany brown,  instead  of  yellow.  This  is  the  case  where  gold  is 
precipitated  from  its  solution  by  sulphate  of  iron.  Gold  in  this 
form  is  very  pure.  Melt  the  dark  powder  in  a crucible,  and 
presto,  change,  you  again  have  the  yellow  metal.  Some  bodies 
change  with  great  facility,  and  with  every  change  of  form  is  a 
different  color.  Take  for  an  example,  the  soap-bubble.  As  it 
enlarges  or  contracts  you  will  observe  a constant  change  of 
colors.  The  coating  of  a Daguerreotype  plate  with  the  vapor  of 
iodine  is  another  case  to  the  point.  The  iodine  is  grey — its 
vapor  is  violet — but  as  the  coating  progresses  you  have  yellow, 
orange,  red,  blue,  green.  In  thickening  the  film  of  iodide  of 
silver  you  constantly  change  the  form  or  structure  of  this  com- 
pound, and  as  constantly  have  a change  of  color.  Expose  this 
plate  to  light  for  a prolonged  period,  and  it  will  again  pass  through 
a series  of  beautiful  colors.  Expose  it  a very  short  time  to  light 
and  it  acquires  an  affinity  for  mercurial  vapor.  The  amalgam 

4 


50 


HELIOCHROMY. 


formed  by  this  vapor  is  white.  All  colorific  effects,  with  an  oc- 
casional exception,  are  destroyed  by  this  process.  The  excep- 
tions referred  to  are  quite  remarkable.  The  Illuminated  Daguer- 
reotype, invented  and  patented  by  Mr.  Ilsley,  of  New  York,  is  a 
striking  illustration  of  my  theory.  The  plate,  after  exposure  in 
the  camera,  is  placed  over  a mat  opening,  at  the  distance  of  the 
thirty-second  part  of  an  inch,  and  mercurialized.  The  mercury 
in  creeping  around  the  edge  of  the  mat  produces  rings  of  rainbow 
colors.  The  mercury,  doubtless,  goes  on  irregularly,  producing 
a striated  surface,  similar  to  that  of  mother  of  pearl,  and  hence 
the  colors.  Daguerreotypists  have  occasionally  been  amazed  by 
the  formation  of  some  one  color  on  their  plates.  Mr.  Becker,  of 
New  York,  obtained  a good  brick  red  in  a street  view,  which  he 
took  one  day  on  a waste  plate.  He  sent  the  result  to  Voight- 
laender,  of  Germany.  Mr.  Becker  tried  repeatedly  to  get  a simi- 
lar effect,  but  utterly  failed.  About  three  years  ago  Mr.  Bodo 
England,  of  Philadelphia,  then  working  in  my  brother’s  room  in 
Kingston,  Yew  York,  obtained  the  distant  Catskills  in  good  blue, 
and  the  fields  of  the  foreground  in  faint  green.  This  he  did  on 
several  plates,  but  afterwards  completely  failed.  I saw  the 
results,  and  at  once  referred  them  to  some  freak  in  the  refractive 
action  of  the  light,  aided  by  some  peculiarity  in  the  coating  of 
the  plate.  He  told  me  that  his  coating  had  an  excess  of  bromine, 
and  from  the  appearance  of  the  pictures  I am  sure  the  plates  had 
on  them  a thin  layer  of  organic  matter. 

Now,  before  proceeding  to  other  illustrations  of  this  subject,  let 
us  reason  for  a moment  on  what  I have  written.  Here  are  facts 
in  regard  to  the  Daguerreotype  plate,  with  which  every  operator 
is  familiar.  How  are  we  to  account  for  them  ? Certainly  not  on 
the  principle  of  specific  coloring  matter.  The  color  of  the  iodine 
vapor,  with  which  this  succession  of  beautiful  tints  is  produced,  is 
violet — only  violet.  Hence  it  could  not  produce  anything  more 

than  its  own  color  if  we  regard  it  as  a pigment.  Tbe  color  of 
mercurial  vapor  is  white ; and,  as  a pigment,  would  give  only 
white.  The  color  of  the  brick-house  in  Mr.  Becker’s  street  view, 


CURIOUS  PROPERTIES  OF  VARIOUS  BODIES. 


51 


and  the  hues  of  the  mountains  and  fields  in  Mr.  England’s 
results,  were  favorable  to  the  pigmentary  view  ; hut  how,  on  this 
principle,  did  they  ever  get  to  the  plate  unless  we  suppose  that 
the  actual  coloring  matter  left  the  brick-house,  and  travelled  into 
Becker’s  window,  and  that  the  blue  of  the  Catskills,  and  the 
green  of  the  Kingston  meadows,  journeyed  through  the  air,  and 
through  the  lenses  of  England’s  camera,  and  painted  themselves 
on  the  plates.  Absurd  as  these  suppositions  appear,  they  afford 
the  only  explanation  of  these  phenomena  aside  from  the  theory 
I have  here  advanced. 

I will  not  omit  to  mention  here  the  Metallo-chromes  as  an 
illustration  of  the  same  law.  In  a shallow  dish,  place  a saturated 
solution  of  acetate  of  lead.  In  the  bottom  of  it  place  a polished 
steel  plate,  connected  with  the  terminating  wire  of  the  positive 
pole  of  a pair  of  Grove’s  batteries  ; then  bring  the  point  of  the 
negative  wire  into  contact  with  the  solution  of  lead,  and  there 
will  he  produced  on  the  steel-plate  a series  of  colored  rings  of  the 
most  gorgeous  beauty.  Let  the  wire  terminate  with  a level  plate, 
cut  into  figures,  and  you  will  have  a corresponding  effect  on  the 
stoel.  To  account  for  this  curious  effect,  we  may  suppose  that 
thin,  but  unequal  layers  of  metallic  lead  are  deposited,  and  that 
these  are  oxydized.  The  colors  and  their  fine  blendings,  depend 
upon  the  law  of  absorption  and  refraction,  as  in  the  other  cases 
cited.  Another  elegant  form  of  the  Metallo-cnrome  may  be  pro- 
duced thus  : On  a polished  silver  plate  place  a small  crystal  of 
iodine,  and  gently  heat  the  plate.  A series  of  colored  rings  are 
at  once  formed.  They  are  very  beautiful,  and  depend  upon  the 
unequal  thickness,  or  rather  unequal  thinness,  of  the  circular 
coatings  formed.  This  experiment  is  easily  tried.  Let  any  in- 
telligent person  who  may  make  the  trial,  as  he  gazes  upon  the 
charming  result — the  miniature  rainbow — pause  and  inquire,  how 
were  these  colors  formed  1 and  I wager  that  his  conclusions  will 
he — they  resulted  from  the  production  of  certain  forms  of  matter, 
and  from  the  property  acquired  by  the  matter  of  absorbing  some 
of  the  colored  rays  and  refracting  others.  To  make  the  matter 


52 


HELIOCHBOMY. 


still  plainer,  we  will  suppose  this  series  of  rings  to  be  a sieve. 
One  circle  of  meshes  may  be  supposed  to  be  of  one  degree  of 
fineness,  the  next  of  another,  and  so  on  through  the  series.  Sup- 
pose we  place  in  this  sieve  several  colored  powders  of  different 
degrees  of  fineness,  and  of  certain  relative  shapes.  Evidently 
each  powder,  on  shaking  the  sieve,  will  be  retained  in  its  appro- 
priate circle,  and  bands  of  color  will  be  the  result.  So  with  the 
rings  of  coating  formed  on  the  silver  plate.  One  circle  has  a de- 
gree and  character  of  porosity  which  will  absorb,  or  sift  through, 
all  the  colored  rays  save  one,  or  more,  and  the  result  is,  that  that 
colored  ray  or  rays  will  be  retained  on  the  surface  of  that  ring, 
and  hence  the  color.  So  with  the  whole  series.  The  ocular, 
though  not  the  chemical  property  of  one  ring,  will  be  the  same 
as  that  of  carmine,  of  another  the  same  as  indigo,  of  another  the 
same  as  chromate  of  lead,  while  others  will  be,  in  different  de- 
grees, of  the  same  ocular  character  as  the  compound  pigments 
or  dye-stuffs. 

Many  of  the  metallic  salts  afford  very  striking  illustrations  of 
our  theme.  We  might  select  almost  at  random.  Say  we  take 
iodide  of  mercury.  Its  crystals  are  sometimes  red,  sometimes 
yellow.  The  red  may  be  changed  to  yellow,  and  the  yellow  to 
red,  by  the  simple  contact  of  a sharp  point.  The  change  in  the 
form  of  the  matter  is  by  molecular  movement.  The  red  crystals 
are  quadratic,  the  yellow  right  rhombic.  Change  the  quadratic 
to  the  right  rhombic  and  it  becomes  yellow,  and  vice  versa.  The 
salts  of  chrome,  manganese,  copper,  nickel,  cobalt,  iridium,  &c., 
are  equally  remarkable  for  the  number  and  beauty  of  their  colors. 
In  a state  of  combustion,  many  of  these  salts  present  very  curious 
colorific  properties.  Chloride  of  copper  burns  with  a fine  green 
blaze ; strontid,  red  baryta,  yellow  chromium  green ; boron,  zinc, 
&c.,  all  burn  with  a characteristic  color. 

The  vegetable  world  is  equally  fruitful  in  proofs  of  the  theory 
here  advanced.  It  is  well  known  that  plants  grown  in  the  dark 
are  colorless.  A bulbous  root,  grown  partly  in  the  light  and  partly 
in  the  dark,  will  be  half  colored  and  half  colorless.  Observing  a 


CHLOROPHYL. 


53 


potato,  growing  partly  out  of  ground,  the  portion  above  ground 
being  green,  was  one  of  the  first  lessons  nature  taught  me  in 
Heliochromy.  I reason  thus  : — the  effect  could  not  he  due  to 
oxygen,  for  the  portion  under  ground  was  so  near  the  surface 
that  it  had  free  access  to  the  oxygen  of  the  air — it  could  not  be 
owing  to  the  heat  of  the  sun,  for  I have  seen  the  phenomenon  in 
a shaded  place — it  is,  therefore,  the  effect  of  light. 

Chloropliyl  affords  another  striking  proof  of  the  theory  which 
lies  at  the  foundation  of  Heliochromy.  This  singular  substance 
forms  the  green  coloring  matter  of  leaves,  grass,  &c.  “ It  may  he 

obtained,”  says  Booth,  “ by  treating  grass  with  boiling  water, 
then  with  alcohol  or  ether,  evaporating  or  mixing  with  water,  and 
distilling.  It  is  a green,  waxy  substance,  hut  we  know  not 
whether  it  be  a fat,  resin,  &c.  Its  color  appears  to  be  easily 
changed  to  a yellow.”  This  is  all  I could  ever  learn  from  the 
books  in  respect  to  chloropliyl,  excepting  a remark  of  Berzelius, 
that  in  the  seared  leaves  of  autumn  the  chlorophyl  is  displaced 
by  a yellow  coloring  matter,  which  he  calls  Xanthophyl.  But  I 
have  experimented  largely  with  chlorophyl,  of  which  a full  ac- 
count will  be  found  in  the  subsequent  pages.  These  experiments 
will  be  found  very  interesting,  and  afford  strong  evidence  of  the 
correctness  of  our  theory.  In  this  place  I will  merely  dwell 
briefly  on  the  curious  workings  of  this  substance  in  the  great 
laboratory  of  nature.  Who  has  not  observed  and  admired  the 
first  inception  of  the  green  tint  in  the  tender  leaf  of  spring,  its 
gradual  increase  to  a decided  green,  and  the  truly  grand  and  mag- 
nificent intermingling  of  red,  scarlet,  brown  russet,  crimson, 
orange,  yellow,  and  remains  of  green,  which  these  leaves  present 
in  that  sober  season,  the  autumnal  time  1 No  portion  of  nature’s 
works  are  more  full  of  beauty,  brightness,  and  divinity.  With 
truth  has  it  been  said,  that  “ God  dwells  not  only  in  the  Palace 
he  made  for  angels,  but  in  every  blade  of  grass,  and  in  every  leaf 
that  trembles  in  the  breeze.”  Poets  of  the  highest  order  have 
attuned  their  songs  to  the  “ sweet  spring  time,”  when  the  “ ten- 
der buds”  appear,  and  nature  weaves  for  herself  a robe  of  green, 


54 


HELIOCHROMY. 


and  no  less  sweetly  and  pathetically  have  they  sung  the  mellow 
cadence  of  brown  October  and  rueful  November.  Well,  all  this 
is  pretty — it  is  delicious — it  is  even  enravishing  ; — hut  there  is  a 
“ land  of  Beulah,”  to  use  Bunyan’s  phrase,  back  of  all  this.  In 
the  heliochromic  view  there  is  utility  as  well  as  delight.  It 
teaches  us  to  regard  these  phenomena  as  a grand  system  of 
“ natural  colors,”  and  points  the  way  to  scientific  investigation, 
and  to  the  possibility  of  a practical  dive  into  this  grand  arcanum 
of  nature.  So,  at  least,  it  taught  me,  in  my  first  attentions  to 
this  subject.  I observed  that  the  young  leaf  is  hut  slightly  green. 
As  it  thickens  and  solidifies,  its  green  tint  increases  ; for  the 
reason,  doubtless,  that  it  thereby  acquires  a greater  amount,  and 
more  perfectly  concentrates  this  quantity  of  chlorophyl,  and 
therefore  more  perfectly  obstructs  the  passage  of  the  green 
rays.  At  a certain  age,  and  especially  under  the  influence  of 
frost,  the  coloring  matter  undergoes  a change,  and,  so  to  speak, 
is  tumbled  into  great  diversities  of  molecular  form,  and  the 
foliage  takes  on  the  variegated  hues  we  so  much  admire.  Then 
the  colored  rays,  as  it  were,  hold  a general  convocation,  and 
dance  a jubilee  of  a few  weeks  on  the  mountain  sides,  and 
through  the  lowly  vales,  till  Jack  Frost  gives  the  foliage  another 
and  more  bitter  nip,  and  the  forest  is  disorganized  in  a night. 

The  instances  above  cited,  in  which  matter  assumes  forms  pro- 
ductive of  the  absorption  and  refraction  of  the  colored  rays,  are 
partly  due  to  chemical  and  mechanical  causes.  Can  a surface  be 
prepared  on  which  light  itself  will  produce  similar  changes  ? I 
will  reserve  the  discussion  of  this  question  to  the  next  chapter. 

The  foregoing  views  are  my  own — not  a mere  compilation 
from  authors.  Years  ago  I read  Newton,  La  Place,  Euler, 
Brewster.  But  as  soon  as  I turned  my  thoughts  to  the  natural 
colors,  I found  it  necessary  to  renounce  the  controlling  influence 
of  other  men’s  theories,  and  to  follow  the  bent  of  my  own  mind, 
and  the  suggestions  of  nature  at  every  step.  From  that  day  to 
this  I have  thought,  and  studied,  and  toiled,  in  a way  of  my  own. 
Now  that  I am  preparing  my  views  for  the  public,  my  great 


THEORY  AND  PRACTICE. 


55 


anxiety  is,  that  they  may  be  tested,  and  not  rejected  by  any 
because  they  do  not  agree  with  their  theories.  Our  own  mere 
philosophizings,  and  those  of  the  wisest  savants,  are  frequently 
skittish  things,  and  kick  hard  against  practice  and  facts. 


56 


HELIOCHROMY. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Heliochrome  possible — Opinions  of  Philosophers — Biot,  Daguerre,  Nice- 
phore  Niepce,  Sir  John  Herschel,  Sir  Robert  Hunt — Vulgar  Opinions — - 
Argument  a priori — Chemical  Compounds,  Decomposition,  and  Reduction 
caused  or  assisted  by  light. 

“ Doctors  differ”  on  tbe  question  “ Is  Heliochrome  possible  V9 
And  this  difference  in  the  theorizings  of  philosophers  has  ever 
been  an  antecedent  of  great  discoveries.  The  discoverer  of 
printing  was  considered  a witch  and  a devil ; Copernicus,  who 
established  the  doctrine  of  the  earth’s  motion,  was  bitterly 
opposed  by  the  whole  religious  world ; the  spinsters  and  weavers 
were  down  upon  Arkwright  and  Whitney ; our  own  Fulton,  the 
inventor  of  steamboats,  was  the  butt  of  ridicule  in  legislative 
halls,  courts,  bar-rooms,  and  other  places  where  blackguards  and 
rowdies  form  a part  of  the  company  , and  Professor  Samuel  F. 
B.  Morse,  now  immortal,  as  the  inventor  of  the  Magnetic  Tele- 
graph, was  once  a beggar  at  the  doors  of  Congress  ; Daguerre, 
for  believing  in  the  possibility  of  fixing  the  images  of  the 
camera,  was  regarded  by  the  public  as  a fool  and  a humbug. 
Even  his  own  wife  inquired  of  an  eminent  philosopher  if  he 
thought  her  husband  could  be  a sane  man.  All  these  things 
seemed  impossible.  That  the  same  feeling  should  exist  in  regard 
to  the  natural  colors  is  not  surprising. 

The  learned  Biot  uses  the  following  language  : — “ Substances 
of  the  same  tint  may  present,  in  the  quantity  or  the  nature  of 
the  radiations  which  they  reflect,  as  many  diversities,  or  diversi- 
ties of  the  same  order,  as  substances  of  a different  tint ; in- 
versely, they  may  be  similar  in  their  property  of  reflecting 


0PINI0N3. 


57 


chemical  radiations  when  they  are  dissimilar  to  the  eye ; so  that 
the  difference  of  tint  which  they  present  to  the  eye  may  entirely 
disappear  in  the  chemical  picture.  These  are  the  difficulties  in- 
herent in  the  formation  of  photographic  pictures,  and  they  show, 
I think,  evidently,  the  illusion  of  the  experimenters  who  hope  to 
reconcile,  not  only  the  intensity,  but  the  tints  of  the  chemical 
impressions,  produced  by  radiation  with  the  colors  of  the  objects 
from  which  these  rays  emanate.”  Sir  John  Herschel,  as  long 
ago  as  1840,  speaking  of  some  faint  tintings  of  color  he  pro- 
cured on  paper,  says  : — “ I am  not  prepared  to  say  that  this  will 
prove  an  available  process  for  colored  photographs,  though  it 
brings  the  hope  nearer.”  u Here,”  says  Sir  Robert  Hunt,  “ we 
have  the  speculations  of  one  philosopher  representing  the  pro- 
duction of  such  pictures  as  hopeless,  while  the  experiments  of 
another  prove  them  to  be  within  the  range  of  probabilities.” 

Daguerre,  himself,  has  said  that  frequently,  when  he  has  been 
copying  any  red,  brick,  or  painted  building,  the  photograph  has 
assumed  a tint  of  that  character ; and  he  labored  considerably 
for  the  attainment  of  the  colors.  So  did  Nicephore  Niepce,  his 
partner,  labor  to  the  same  end  with  his  bitumen-coated  tablets  ; 
and  the  report,  though  false,  went  all  over  Europe  that  he  had 
actually  made  the  grand  discovery.  Sir  Robert  Hunt,  already 
referred  to,  has  advanced  quite  a lengthy  argument  on  “ the 
possibility  of  producing  photographs  in  their  natural  colors.” 
He  boldly  takes  the  affirmative,  and  supports  it  in  his  usually 
able  manner.  In  concluding,  he  says,  “ These  facts  will,  I think, 
prove  that  the  possibility  of  our  being  enabled  to  produce  colored 
photographs  is  decided,  and  the  probability  of  it  is  brought  in- 
finitely nearer.”  M.  Edmund  Becquerel,  one  of  the  profoundest 
philosophers  of  Europe,  is  another  advocate  of  this  doctrine. 

But  as  I am  not  going  to  fill  this  chapter  with  mere  opinions,  I 
will  come  directly  to  some  of  the  chemical  changes  wrought  by 
light,  especially  those  resulting  in  the  formation  of  color.  I will 
start  with  the  flowers  of  the  Cichorium  intibus ; they  are  white, 
or  blue,  according  to  the  intensity  of  the  day -light.  This  is  a 


58 


HELIOCHROMY. 


well  established  fact,  and  I may  justly  claim  it  in  support  of  my 
theory.  Of  a similar  character  is  the  fact  that  the  rosy  and 
colored  aspect  of  many  kinds  of  fruit  is  on  the  side  towards  the 
sun.  We  see  this  in  the  apple,  peach,  strawberry,  several  varieties 
of  cherry,  pear,  apricot,  &c. 

In  the  animal  creation,  the  influence  of  light  in  producing  color 
is  equally  evident.  The  tints  of  polar  and  subterranean  animals 
are  dull  and  dingy,  while  those  in  the  tropical  regions  are  bright 
and  gaudy.  As  a general  thing,  too,  the  colored  parts  of  animals 
are  those  most  exposed  to  light.  Even  serpents  are  no  excep- 
tion to  this  law  ; the  beautiful  colors  displayed  by  many  of  them 
being  mostly  on  their  backs.  The  plumage  of  many  of  the  tro- 
pical birds  is  magnificent.  The  birds  and  fowl  of  northern 
climates  are  robed  in  a more  sober  guise.  Our  fine  birds,  as  the 
yellow  bird,  the  robin,  the  pigeon,  the  goose,  duck,  &c.,  will  bear 
no  comparison  with  the  fine  birds  of  the  sunny  South,  as  the  ostrich, 
the  flamingo,  the  ibis,  &c.  Our  peacocks,  roosters,  &c.,  are  no 
exception,  for  they  gain  their  plumes  by  inheritance  from  a foreign 
ancestry,  and  will  not  compare  with  their  brethren  in  the  bright 
regions  of  the  South. 

These  instances,  in  connexion  with  the  vast  resources  of 
chemistry,  would  seem  sufficient  to  establish  the  probability,  at 
least,  that  art  can  prepare  a surface  on  which  light  itself  will 
produce  the  molecular  forms,  or  modifications  of  matter  essential 
to  the  phenomena  of  color.  Let  us,  however,  advert  to  some  of 
the  operations  of  the  laboratory.  Take,  for  example,  the  art  of 
calico-printing.  The  bulk  of  all  these  colored  fabrics  fade  ; that 
is  to  say,  they  are  photogenic — yea,  verily,  they  are  Heliocliro- 
mic ; for  as  they  pass  to  the  colorless  state  they  go  through  a 
great  diversity  of  tints.  What  is  orange  now  will  soon  be  yel- 
low ; the  yellow  will  soon  descend  to  a straw  color  ; the  red  runs 
down  to  pink,  and  even  to  various  dingy  tints  of  brown  and  rus- 
set ; the  deep  blue  degenerates  to  a mere  azure  blush  ; the 
bright  emerald  green  fades  away  to  a pea-green,  &c.  &c.  All 
this  comes  to  pass  in  and  out  door,  in  a dry  or  humid  atmosphere, 


CHEMICAL  COMPOUNDS. 


59 


and  is  plainly  the  effect  of  light.  In  fact  the  whole  operation  is 
a sort  of  Heliochrome  in  an  inverted  order. 

The  same  may  he  said  of  oil  and  water-color  paintings.  They 
fade,  slowly,  it  is  true ; but  in  fading  they  pass  through  the  de- 
scending chromatic  scale.  But  few  colors  are  permanent,  as  the 
term  is.  The  works  of  a few  of  the  old  masters  of  painting  which 
have  retained  their  brilliancy  for  hundreds  of  years,  are  the 
astonishment  and  envy  of  modern  art.  It  would  be  just  as  pro- 
per to  say  that  most  colors  are  Heliochromic.  Such  a remark  is 
as  far  from  being  visionary  as  that  of  Sir  John  Herschel,  namely, 
that  “ nearly  all  the  substances  in  nature  are  photogenic.” 

But  it  is  the  chemist,  more  than  all  others,  who  has  occasion  to 
observe  these  remarkable  effects  of  light.  Many  of  his  com- 
pounds must  be  kept  excluded  from  light,  or  both  their  proper- 
ties and  color  will  change.  Others  require  light  for  their  perfect 
formation — while  a third  class  are  so  sensitive  to  light  at  the 
moment  of,  or  during  the  process  of  formation,  that  they  are 
much  more  perfectly  formed  in  some  countries  than  others. 
The  best  French  process  for  making  carmine,  for  example,  could 
not  be  successfully  worked  under  the  foggy  skies  of  England ; 
and  it  is  probably  owing,  in  a great  degree,  to  the  same  cause 
that  the  Chinese  and  French  Vermillion  is  superior  to  that  made 
in  other  countries.  Many  of  the  salts  of  silver  may  be  named  as 
an  example  of  the  other  class  of  compounds  alluded  to.  The 
chloride  of  silver,  for  example,  is  soon  changed  to  a sub-chloride 
if  exposed  to  light.  In  the  process  of  changing  it  passes  through 
several  tints  of  color.  Gallo-nitrate  of  silver  is  very  rapidly  de- 
composed by  light,  and  turns  a dark  brown  by  a few  minutes 
exposure  : aceto-nitrate  of  silver  is  similarly,  though  not  so 
quickly  affected.  Iodide  of  starch  cannot  be  formed  pure  in  the 
light,  but  on  the  instant  of  its  formation  passes  to  a dark  sub- 
iodide. In  these  and  many  similar  changes  we  have  a great 
variety  of  colors.  In  some  cases  the  compound  is  influenced 
only  by  a certain  class  of  rays.  Herschel  noticed  that  lime-water 
added  to  solution  of  chloride  of  platinum  only  afforded  a precipi- 


60 


HELIOCHROMY. 


tate  in  white  or  violet,  and  not  in  yellow  or  red  light.  Etherial 
solution  of  perchloride  of  iron  is  changed  into  proto-chloride,  be- 
hind white  and  blue,  hut  not  red  glass.  Etherial  solution  of 
corrosive  sublimate  affords  calomel  under  the  influence  of  white 
and  blue,  hut  not  of  red  light.  Solution  of  peroxalate  of  iron  is 
decomposed  by  white,  violet,  and  blue  light,  into  carbonic  acid 
and  protoxalate ; hut  red  light  fails  of  this  effect.  Iodide  of 
starch,  which  is  blue,  is  bleached  under  white,  green,  and  yellow 
light ; red  and  blue  light  affect  it  hut  little ; violet  not  at  all. 
Chloride  of  silver,  by  a prolonged  exposure  to  the  red  ray,  is 
slightly  tinted  with  the  natural  color  of  the  ray  ; under  yellow, 
orange,  and  green,  it  is  eventually  darkened,  though  slowly  ; 
under  the  blue  and  violet  it  is  rapidly  changed  to  a blue,  purple, 
sepia,  black,  and  at  last,  to  a bronze-like,  coppery  green. 

In  the  illustration  drawn  from  calico-printing,  it  will  he  noticed 
that  the  colors  which  occur  in  the  fading  process  were  on  the  de- 
scending chromatic  scale.  In  many  of  the  above  instances  the 
reverse  is  true.  The  formation  of  color  begins  with  the  faintest 
tint,  and  ascends  to  the  maximum  of  colorific  effect.  The  former 
is  not,  therefore,  so  perfect  as  a heliochromic  phenomenon  as  the 
latter  ; but  it  will  scarcely  be  denied  by  any  logician,  that  from 
these  two  classes  of  phenomenon  we  have  constructed  a good 
a priori  argument  in  support  of  the  possibility  of  heliochromy. 
Much  more  might  be  written  under  this  head,  but  it  would  be 
foreign  to  my  purpose  to  even  mention,  in  tabular  form,  the  vast 
number  of  facts  similar  to  the  above,  which  the  science  of 
chemistry  affords.  Besides,  I will  not  anticipate  what  will  more 
appropriately  come  under  the  head  of  “ Experiments.” 


ANTIQUITY. 


61 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Antiquit)’ — The  Jugglers  of  Ancient  India — The  Alchemists — Chloride  of  Sil- 
ver— Seheele — M.  Berard — Seebeck — Berthollet — Sir  William  Herschel — 
Wollaston’s  Experiments  on  Gum  Guiacum — Sir  Humphrey  Davy — Oxyde 
of  Lead — The  Action  of  the  Colored  Rays — Wedgewood  and  Davy’s  First 
Pictures — Daguerre  and  Niepce’s  First  Experiments — Their  Copartnership 
— The  Bitumen  Process — Discovery  of  the  Daguerreotype — Action  of  the 
French  Government — Talbot  and  his  Process — The  First  Portrait  from 
Life — Prof.  Morse — Daguerre,  Niepce,  Talbot,  Sir  John  Herschel,  and  Sir 
Robert  Hunt,  work  for  the  Colors — Iridescence — Complementary  Colors — 
Becquerel — Niepce  de  St  Victor — My  claim  to  Priority  fully  Examined — 
The  United  States  Senate — My  Early  Pictures — The  “ Infernal  Committee” 
— Certificates. 


“The  progress  of  discovery  is  ordinarily  a slow  process,  and  it  often  happens  that  a great 
fact  is  allowed  to  lie  dormant  for  years  or  for  ages,  which,  when  eventually  revived,  Is  found 
to  render  a fine  interpretation  of  some  of  Nature’s  harmonious  phenomena,  and  to  minister 
to  the  wants  or  pleasures  of  existence.”— Bobebt  Hunt.  Treat,  on  Photography , p.  1. 


It  would  seem  essential  to  the  proper  elucidation  of  this  part  of 
my  subject,  that  I should  give  at  least  a running  outline  of  the 
history  of  Photography  in  the  common  acceptation  of  that  term, 
as  embracing  the  whole  family  of  light  and  shade  pictures. 

If  we  go  back  to  antiquity  we  shall  find  but  little  to  write 
about.  Although  the  artisans  of  olden  times  had  a very  perfect 
knowledge  of  some  beautiful  processes,  we  have  no  evidence*  that 
they  knew  anything  whatever  of  practical  photography.  The 
statement  that  the  Jugglers  of  Ancient  India  could  “ copy  the 
profile  of  any  individual  by  the  action  of  light,”  appears  to  be  of 
a piece  with  many  other  extravagant  assertions  of  their  skill. 
At  least  they  are  ignorant  of  any  such  process  at  present. 


62 


HELIOCHEOMY. 


The  Alchemists,  in  searching,  by  a great  multiplicity  of  mani- 
pulations, for  the  philosopher’s  stone  and  the  elixir  vitae,  hit 
upon  horn  silver,  as  they  called  the  fused  chloride  of  silver,  and 
observed  and  recorded  the  fact,  that  it  was  blackened  by  light. 
They  did  not  even  think,  as  far  as  we  can  learn,  of  applying  the 
fact  to  photographic  use  ; but  stupidly  used  it  as  an  argument  to 
prove  the  doctrine  that  “ silver  only  differed  from  gold  in  being 
mercury  interpenetrated  by  the  sulphurous  principle  of  the  sun’s 
rays.”  We  should  give  them  credit,  however,  for  leaving  a re- 
cord of  the  blackening. 

To  that  profound  scholar  and  philosopher,  Sclieele,  are  we  in- 
debted for  the  first  scientific  examination  of  this  remarkable  phe- 
nomenon. His  experiments  resulted  in  proving  the  “ dissimilar 
powers  of  the  different  rays  of  light  in  effecting  this  change.”  In 
the  year  1801,  Hitter  demonstrated  that  rays  existed  beyond  the 
visible  spectrum,  which  had  the  property  of  “ speedily  blackening 
chloride  of  silver.”  These  researches  commanded  the  attention 
of  such  men  as  M.  Berard,  Seebeck,  Berthollet,  Sir  William 
Herscliell,  Sir  Henry  Englefield.  Their  investigations  led  to 
much  information  in  regard  to  the  luminous,  heating,  and  che- 
mical powers  of  the  colored  rays.  Hr.  Wollaston  pursued  and 
published  some  most  interesting  experiments  on  the  effects  of 
light  on  gum  guaiacum.  He  found  that  “ paper  washed  with  a 
solution  of  this  gum  in  spirits  of  wine,  had  its  yellow  color 
rapidly  changed  to  green  by  the  violet  rays,  while  the  red  rays 
had  the  property  of  restoring  the  yellow  hue.”  Sir  Humphrey 
Davy  observed  that  the  puce-colored  oxyde  of  lead  was  red- 
dened under  the  red  ray,  and  blackened  under  the  violet  ray  ; 
that  hydrogen  and  chlorine  entered  into  combination  more 
rapidly  in  the  red  than  in  the  violet  rays,  and  that  the  green 
oxyde  of  mercury,  although  not  changed  by  the  most  refrangible 
rays,  speedily  became  red  in  the  least  refrangible. 

None  of  these  discoveries  were  applied  to  picture  making, 
though  we  look  back  upon  them  with  pleasure,  as  they  laid  the 
foundation  for  the  splendid  superstructure  which  has  since  been 


DISCOVERY  OF  TIIE  DAGUERREOTYPE. 


63 


reared.  The  first  attempts  at  fixing  images  by  light  were  pub- 
lished in  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Institution  of  Great  Britain, 
in  June,  1802.  These  were  by  those  eminent  philosophers, 
Wedge  wood  and  Davy.  The  former,  as  far  back  as  the  year 
1800,  devised  the  following  “ pretty  experiment.”  He  stretched 
a piece  of  paper,  or  other  convenient  material,  upon  a frame, 
and  sponged  it  over  with  a solution  of  uitrate  of  silver  ; he  then 
placed  it  behind  a painting  on  glass,  and  exposed  the  arrange- 
ment to  light.  A “ kind  of  copy  of  it”  was  produced  upon  the 
prepared  paper.  This  experiment  may  be  regarded  as  the  origin 
of  the  art  of  photography.  From  the  fact  of  Wedgewood  em- 
ploying a painting  instead  of  a print,  I feel  almost  authorized  to 
set  him  down  as  the  man  who  first  attempted  to  discover  helio- 
chromy. 

Neither  Wedgewood  nor  Davy  succeeded  in  rendering  their 
preparations  sufficiently  sensitive  for  the  camera.  By  means  of 
the  solar  microscope  the  latter  procured  a faint  image  ; but  he 
could  not  fix  or  fasten  the  impression,  and  the  grand  theme  was 
abandoned  in  despair. 

In  1814,  M.  Niepce  and  M.  Daguerre  took  up  the  subject.  In 
1829  they  entered  into  co-partnership.  In  1827  M.  Niepce  pre- 
sented specimens  of  his  heliographs,  as  he  called  them,  and  a 
statement  to  the  Royal  Society  of  London,  but  they  were 
rejected  (most  illiberally,  I think),  on  the  ground  that  he  did  not 
give  his  process.  This,  as  it  has  since  appeared,  consisted  in 
coating  a tablet  of  glass,  silver,  or  tin,  with  resin  or  asplialtum, 
dissolved  in  essential  oil,  as  lavender,  or  in  alcohol,  exposing  to 
the  luminous  influence  for  one  or  more  days,  and  washing  away 
the  parts  unacted  upon  by  light,  with  the  solvent.  Paper  im- 
pregnated with  the  nitrate  or  chloride  of  silver,  was  the  material 
first  used  by  Daguerre.  His  first  attempts  were  scarcely  more 
encouraging  than  those  of  Wedgewood.  The  discovery  of  the 
daguerreotype  was  reported  to  the  world  in  January,  1839. 
The  process  was  made  known  in  the  following  July,  after  the 
passage  of  an  act  by  the  French  government  securing  to  Da- 


64 


HELIOCHROMY . 


guerre  an  annuity  of  6,000  francs,  and  to  M.  Isidore  Niepce,  the 
son  of  Daguerre’s  partner,  an  annuity  of  4,000  francs,  with  one 
half  in  reversion  for  their  widows. 

In  January,  1839,  six  months  previous  to  the  publication  of 
Daguerre’s  process,  Mr.  Fox  Talbot,  an  Englishman,  made  known 
to  the  Royal  Society  his  discovery,  and  the  next  month  published 
his  process  on  paper — the  Talbot-type.  Mr.  Talbot  secured  him- 
self by  patent,  for  which  he  has  been  most  bitterly  and  unjustly 
censured.  From  his  process  has  grown  the  beautiful  paper  Pho- 
tography, as  now  practised,  and  the  still  more  beautiful  process 
for  Positives  on  glass.  I am  not  alone  in  the  rapidly  growing 
opinion,  that  Talbot’s  laurels  will  yet  be  brighter  than  Da- 
guerre’s. 

From  the  periods  referred  to  the  progress  of  Photography  has 
been  rapid.  At  first  the  Daguerreotype  was  used  only  for  still 
objects,  as  landscapes,  architecture,  &c. ; but  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore the  ever-progressive  Yankees  applied  it  to  portraits  from 
life.  Had  it  remained  in  the  hands  of  Daguerre,  he  might  never 
have  improved  it  so  far.  Inventors  seldom  perfect  their  own 
processes. 

I have  taken  much  pains  to  ascertain  who  was  the  first  person 
who  took  a Daguerreotype  from  life.  Dr.  Draper,  and  Profes- 
sors Wolcott  and  Morse,  were  among  the  first  who  attempted  the 
achievement  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Prof.  Morse’s  first  attempt 
was  on  the  roof  of  a house  in  Broadway.  The  subject  was  his 
own  daughter.  She  sat  heroically  for  twenty  minutes  in  brilliant 
sunshine,  with  her  eyes  closed,  of  course.  Success  crowned  the 
effort  in  the  development  of  a very  fair  picture.  I will  not  say 
that  this  was  the  first  portrait  from  life  by  the  Daguerreotype, 
but  I am  strongly  inclined  to  think  it  was.  Prof.  Morse,  to  whom 
I put  the  question,  was  too  modest  to  answer  it  decidedly. 

About  half  a century  has  now  elapsed  since  Wedgewood  took 
the  first  step  in  Photography.  It  is  forty  years  since  Daguerre, 
Niepce,  and  Talbot,  commenced  their  investigations.  It  is  about 
seventeen  years  since  their  discoveries  were  made  public. 


SIR  JOHN  HERSCHEL. 


65 


About  ten  years  ago  the  Daguerreotype  in  a few  skilful  bands, 
began  to  show  the  maximum  of  its  capabilities.  Now,  both  Da- 
guerreo typing  and  Talbotyping,  and  the  kindred  processes 
which  have  grown  out  of  them,  have  attained  a degree  of  perfec- 
tion truly  surprising. 

During  all  these  labors  for  the  discovery  and  improvement  of 
these  arts,  it  is  safe  to  assert,  that  a latent  wish  has  been  almost 
universally  felt  for  the  attainment  of  Heliochromy.  Indeed,  it  is 
quite  probable  that  with  most  experimenters  there  has  been  an 
ardent  longing,  a good  deal  of  hoping,  and  some  effort.  We 
have  proof  that  Daguerre  considered  the  object  attainable.  He 
theorized  much,  and  sometimes  well,  on  this  subject ; and  he 
tried  many  experiments — many,  no  doubt,  for  which  the  world  is 
no  wiser.  This  great  man,  to  whom  the  world  is  so  much 
indebted,  was  a quiet,  unassuming  gentleman,  with  large  bumps 
of  secretiveness  and  caution.  In  his  account  of  his  “ instanta- 
neous process,”  as  it  was  called,  he  exhibits  a familiar  acquaint- 
ance with  the  laws  governing  the  molecular  arrangement  of  mat- 
ter, and  proves  himself  an  acute  reasoner,  alive  to  the  whole  sub- 
ject of  actinism,  or  ray  power  ; more  so,  indeed,  than  we  could 
expect  from  the  partial  mind  of  an  inventor. 

Niepce,  as  we  stated  in  a previous  chapter,  did  not  hesitate  to 
let  it  be  known  that  he  was  seeking  after  the  colors,  and  the  re- 
port went  far  and  near  that  he  had  found  them.  Talbot,  as  it 
would  appear  from  many  things  in  his  writings,  has  had  the  same 
rosy  dreams,  and  gone  through  similar  efforts  in  his  seekings 
after  this  precious  gem. 

Sir  John  Herschel,  the  eminent  astronomer  and  philosopher, 
has  had  much  of  his  attention  directed  this  way.  Several  years 
ago  he  actually  succeeded  in  procuring,  upon  photographic  paper, 
impregnated  with  the  colored  juice  of  flowers,  a faint-colored 
image  of  the  solar  spectrum.  Afterwards  he  wrote — “ I have  got 
specimens  of  paper,  long  kept,  which  give  a considerably  better 
representation  of  the  spectrum  in  its  natural  colors  than  I had 

5 


66 


HELIOCHROMY. 


obtained  at  the  date  of  my  paper  (February,  1840),  and  that 
light  on  a dark  ground.” 

Now,  from  this,  and  corroborating  testimony,  it  appears  that 
Herschel  did  discover  a method  of  producing  natural  colors  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1840.  Justice  requires  me  to  record  this 
as  a fact.  Neither  would  I twist  my  pen  to  abate  the  honor 
which  is  his  due.  But  the  same  justice  (to  myself)  requires  me 
to  state,  that  his  pictures  were  on  paper,  while  mine  (the  early 
ones)  are  on  silver  plates ; his  required  several  days  for  their  fox*- 
mation,  while  mine  are  often  produced  in  as  many  seconds ; his 
were  very  faint,  mere  tintings,  while  my  pictures  are  more 
decided,  plain,  bold,  and  brilliant  than  any  other  class  of  sun- 
drawn  pictures.  In  a word,  Herschel  himself  ignores  all  claim 
to  an  “ available  process,”  and  only  claims  for  his  process  that 
“ it  brings  the  hope  nearer.” 

Sir  Robert  Hunt,  a most  indefatigable  experimenter,  a man  of 
science,  and  very  able  writer  on  photography,  says  in  his  treatise 
— “ My  own  experiments  have,  in  many  instances,  given  me 
colored  pictures  of  the  prismatic  spectrum,  dark  upon  a light 
ground  ; but  the  most  beautiful  I have  yet  obtained  has  been 
upon  the  daguerreotype  iodidated  tablets,  on  which  the  colors 
have.,  at  the  same  time,  had  a peculiar  softness  and  brilliancy.” 
In  the  Philosophical  Magazine  for  April,  1840,  is  an  able  paper 
from  Mr.  Hunt,  entitled,  “ Experiments  and  Observations  on 
Light  which  has  permeated  Colored  Media.”  In  this  he  de- 
scribes some  “ eurious  results”  on  “ some  of  those  photographs 
which  are  prepared  with  the  hydriodic  salts,  exposed  to  luminous 
influence  with  colored  fluids  superimposed.”  The  violet,  blue, 
green,  yellow,  and  red  rays  produced,  not  their  natural,  but  their 
complementary  colors.  Some  pieces  of  paper  which  Mr.  Hunt 
prepared  with  the  bi-chromate  of  potash  and  a very  weak  solution 
of  nitrate  of  soda,  were  exposed  under  colored  glasses  for  two 
dull  days  in  a window  having  a southern  aspect,  and  gave 
“ tintings”  of  blue,  green,  and  red. 


SIR  ROBERT  HUNT. 


67 


It  will  not  be  claimed  either  by  Mr.  Hunt  or  bis  friends,  that 
producing  “ complementary”  colors  is  heliochromy.  Nor  that 
the  “ tintings”  on  the  chromated  paper  could  entitle  him  to  the 
claim  of  having  discovered  the  natural  colors  in  the  broad  mean- 
ing of  the  words.  His  results  on  the  “ iodidated  tablets,”  deserve 
a few  remarks.  Such  a tablet — in  other  words,  a prepared 
daguerreotype  plate — will  give  all  Mr.  Hunt  claims ; but  how, 
and  in  how  long  a time  ? I answer  (for  I am  familiar  with  the 
experiment),  that  the  iodized  plate  will  turn  all  manner  of  colors, 
when  exposed  to  the  colored  rays,  and  will,  in  the  course  of  these 
changes,  assume  the  colors  of  the  image  impinging  on  it,  and 
that  too  (not  always,  however),  in  their  proper  localities.  In 
order  to  secure  proof  of  this  effect  it  is  essential  to  “ watch  it 
close,”  and  to  stop  the  action  the  lucky  moment  you  happen  to 
discover  the  rose  on  the  right  bush.  Evidently  there  is  no 
specific,  direct  formation  of  natural  colors  by  this  process.  I 
have  found  from  actual  and  repeated  trial,  that  if,  instead  of  the 
spectrum,  you  direct  the  camera  to  seven  dark  bands  of  different 
degrees  of  shading,  and  these  well  blended,  you  will  get  the 
same  results  as  those  produced  by  Mr.  Hunt ; that  is,  the  plate, 
under  the  reducing  action  of  the  light,  as  it  goes  through  its 
transformation  or  metamorphoses,  so  to  speak,  will  be  so  affected 
by  the  relative  strengths  of  the  light,  as  to  present  the  pheno- 
menon in  question. 

In  my  process  there  is  evidently  a specific  action  of  the  colored 
rays,  which  form,  or  produce,  the  natural  colors,  and  no  others, 
either  before  or  after  the  proper  time  of  exposure  to  light.  Re- 
move one  of  my  plates  from  the  camera  before  it  has  had  suffi- 
cient light  to  produce  a full  development  of  the  colors,  and 
where  it  should  be  red,  blue,  or  yellow,  it  will  begin  to  show 
those  colors.  Over-expose  a plate  and  the  colors  are  still  there, 
though  weakened.  This  is  true,  not  only  of  the  few  primaries, 
as  bright  red,  blue,  and  yellow,  but  with  a well  prepared  plate 
the  same  thing  holds  good  with  every  possible  tint  and  combina- 
tion of  color  I have  ever  attempted  to  copy.  I once  counted,  by 


68 


HELIOCHEOMY. 


the  aid  of  several  practised  eyes,  the  number  of  tints  on  50  of 
my  plates.  They  amounted  to  over  four  hundred. 

These  remarks  are  not  meant  as  a disparagement  of  Mr.  Hunt. 
I am  in  the  most  friendly  relations  with  him.  About  a year 
ago  a friend  of  mine  wrote  to  Mr.  Hunt  and  Sir  John  Herschel, 
giving  a carefully  drawn  up  account  of  the  character  of  my  dis- 
covery. In  reply  Mr.  Hunt  wrote  a long  and  friendly  letter,  in 
behalf  of  himself  and  Sir  John,  offering  their  good  offices  towards 
the  introduction  of  the  process  in  Europe,  and  manifesting  the 
utmost  interest  in  my  discovery. 

M.  Edmund  Becquerel,  in  experiments  made  in  1849-50,  suc- 
ceeded in  producing,  on  metallic  plates,  the  colors  of  the  spec- 
trum, and  copied  some  colored  prints.  His  process  was  as  fol- 
lows : Into  a jar  of  muriatic  acid,  diluted  with  from  1 to  2 parts 
of  water,  he  placed  a silver  plate,  having  previously  connected  it 
with  the  positive  pole  of  a galvanic  battery,  the  negative  pole  of 
which  was  terminated  by  a strip  of  platinum.  The  silver  and 
platinum  plates  were  kept  about  one  inch  apart  until  the  former 
became  coated  with  the  nascent  chlorine  to  a violet  hue.  It  was 
then  rinsed  and  dried,  and  exposed  to  the  colored  rays.  After 
an  exposure  of  from  one  to  two  days  a colored  image  was 
formed.  It  was  but  seldom  he  obtained  more  than  one  or  two 
colors  at  once.  These  were  usually  not  brilliant,  and  were 
always  evanescent.  He  abandoned  the  process  long  since. 

Daring  the  year  1851,  M.  Niepce  de  St.  Victor,  a nephew  of 
Daguerre’s  partner,  appeared  before  the  world  in  the  usual  mys- 
tic and  swelling  style  of  the  French  school,  as  the  discoverer  of 
Heliochromy.  It  was  distinctly  stated  by  his  organ,  La  Lu- 
merie , that  M.  Niepce  made  his  announcement  at  that  particular 
time  in  consequence  of  a “ publication  abroad.”  This  “ publica- 
tion abroad,”  gentle  reader,  was  no  less  than  the  letters  of  your 
humble  servant,  L.  L.  Hill,  wdiich  appeared  in  the  Photographic 
Journal  and  the  Daguerrean  Journal , in  which  I distinctly 
claimed  to  have  discovered  a process  for  copying  the  colors  of 
nature  on  silver  plates.  These  letters  were  published  several 


THE  UNITED  STATES  SENATE. 


69 


months  prior  to  St.  Victor’s  announcement.  Besides,  the  fact  of 
my  having  arrived  at  the  discovery  was  published  some  four 
months  previous  to  my  letters  in  the  Journals  ; thus  placing  me 
nearly  a year  ahead  of  my  transatlantic  contemporary. 

I do  not  pretend  that  Niepce  made  no  discovery  independently 
of  his  knowledge  of  mine.  This  I freely  concede  ; also,  that  his 
process  has  enabled  him  and  others  to  copy  colors.  I am  per- 
fectly willing  that  he  should  have  all  the  credit  which  belongs  to 
him  ; but  I am  not  willing  that  he,  or  his  advocates,  should  rob 
mo  of  mine.  M.  Niepce,  viewed  merely  in  the  light  of  a claim- 
ant, has  had  many  advantages  over  me  in  the  backing  up  line. 
The  French  savans,  than  whom  there  is  not  a class  of  in- 
telligent men  on  earth  so  much  given  to  fuss  and  parade  and 
bombast,  have  backed  him.  Louis  Napoleon  has  backed  him,  by 
giving  him  an  idle  office  in  the  “Von  Grand  Army;”  and  my 
enemies  in  this  country  (certain  Daguerreotypists,  I refer  to,  who 
hated  because  they  could  not  govern  me),  have  made  the  best 
use  they  could  of  this  foreigner’s  Memoirs,  to  invalidate  my  claim 
to  this  grand  discovery,  worked  out  in  the  Catskill  mountains, 
within  the  very  hearing  of  the  wolfs  howl  and  the  panther’s 
screech;  and,  what  is  worse,  amid  poverty  and  sickness. 

This  whole  matter — my  early  and  later  pictures — my  chemical 
coatings — the  dates  of  my  announcements — and  the  dates  of  all 
other  claims — I,  in  person,  laid  before  the  Senate  of  the 
United  States  ; and  the  following  is  their  report.  I give  it 
entire,  italicizing  and  capitalizing  those  portions  of  which  I feel 
especially  proud.  It  is  a document  upon  which  I place  higher 
value  than  I would  upon  a laurel  crown  from  the  hand  of  a 
Caesar. 


From  the  National  Intelligencer. 

THE  HILLOTYPE. 

“The  subject  of  the  subjoined  report  was  made  on  the  3d  instant,  by  one 
of  the  committees  of  the  Senate.  Being  of  interest  to  the  general  reader,  as 
well  as  to  the  scientific  class,  we  insert  it  in  full 


70 


HELIOCHROMY. 


“Mr.  James  made  the  following  report,  which  was  ordered  to  "be  printed: 

“The  Committee  on  Patents  and  the  Patent  Office,  to  whom  was  referred 
the  memorial  of  Levi  L.  Hill,  in  reference  to  his  alleged  discovery  in  Helio- 
chrome, or  sun  painting,  so  denominated  by  said  Hill,  ask  leave  to  submit 
the  following  report : 

• “ Mr.  Hill  having  been  before  the  committee,  and  explained  to  them  the 

history  and  principles  of  his  invention,  and  submitted  to  their  inspection 
numerous  specimens  of  the  production  of  his  art  or  invention : the  com- 
mittee have  formed  the  opinion  that  those  specimens  afforded  sufficient 
proofs  that  the  inventor  has  solved  the  problem  of  photographic  coloration. 
The  committee  had  in  their  hands  the  plates,  unprotected  by  glass  or  any 
other  covering,  and  saw  them  freely  rubbed  and  otherwise  tested,  confirming 
in  their  minds  the  fact  of  the  invention,  and  the  durability  of  the  pictures. 
It  is  believed  that  most  of  the  philosophers,  both  in  Europe  and  America, 
long  since  gave  up  as  hopeless  the  search  after  this  branch  of  science,  which 
has  been  discovered  by  one  of  our  own  citizens,  in  one  of  the  wild  valleys  of 
the  Catskill  mountains,  far  removed  from  the  schools  of  art.  The  committee 
learn  that  Mr.  Hill  has  arrived  at  this  discovery,  by  which  the  works  of 
nature  may  be  copied  in  their  original  hues,  through  three  years  of  perse- 
vering toil.  The  committee  is  informed  by  Mr.  Hill,  that  his  discovery  has 
not  as  yet  been  perfected  in  its  practical  details,  which  is  not  surprising,  it 
being  but  little  more  than  two  years  since  he  obtained  his  first  result.  But 
the  beauty  of  the  results  to  which  the  process  has  already  attained,  would 
seem  to  afford  evidence  that  it  will  be  perfected  at  no  distant  day. 

“The  prospective  utility  and  importance  of  this  invention,  are  very  im- 
portant in  its  application  to  portraits,  landscapes,  botany,  morbid  anatomy, 
mineralogy,  or  conchology,  aboriginal  history,  the  reproduction  of  valuable 
paintings,  and  to  various  other  ornamental  purposes.  The  committee  are 
satisfied  of  Mr.  Hill’s  claim  to  originality  and  priority  of  invention,  and 
deem  it  just  and  right  that  he  should  be  suitably  protected  and  encouraged ; 
and  they  deem  it  more  particularly  so,  seeing  that  a rival  claim  has  been  set 
up  in  France  since  the  announcement  of  his  discovery  was  made.  The  means 
by  which  this  process  is  carried  out  being  strictly  chemical,  it  would  seem 
that  the  existing  patent  laws  would  not  afford  to  the  inventor  the  security 
required.  Owing,  however,  to  the  short  period  remaining  of  the  present 
session  of  Congress,  and  the  press  of  business,  the  committee  have  been 
unable  to  devise  any  better  or  more  efficient  mode  by  which  to  recognise 
the  claims  of  Mr.  Hill,  than  by  recommending  that  his  memoria',  together 
with  this  report,  be  placed  on  the  records  of  the  Senate.” 

I shall  now  proceed  to  give  a condensed  account  of  other  testi- 


MY  EARLY  PICTURES. 


71 


mony,  by  which  I hope  to  satisfy  every  unprejudiced  reader,  of 
the  justness  of  my  claim  to  this  grand  discovery,  and  of  my 
priority  in  it. 

1.  In  the  first  place,  M.  Niepce’s  discovery  was  announced 
several  months  after  mine,  and  it  was  made  long  after  I obtained 
my  first  results. 

2.  I was  perfectly  familiar  with  the  very  process  he  claims, 
long  before  he  pretends  to  have  made  the  discovery.  Long  be- 
fore his  announcement,  I exhibited  results  obtained  by  chloridat- 
ing  a silver  plate,  by  means  of  a solution  of  chloride  of  copper, 
mixed  with  hydro  chloric  acid.  My  first  experiments  consisted 
in  heating  the  solution  upon  a Daguerreotype  portrait  and  view. 
This  gave  me  several  colors  all  over  the  pictures,  and  ended  with 
a fine  ruby  red,  under  which  the  pictures  were  but  slightly  ob- 
scured. I then  coated  a naked  plate  in  the  same  way,  and  ex- 
posed it  to  light,  with  a colored  engraving  superimposed.  The 
result  was  just  such  natural  colors  as  those  described  by  Niepce. 
Like  his  they  very  soon  began  to  fade ; but  unlike  those  of  his 
which  he  exhibited  in  the  Crystal  Palace  in  London,  they  did 
not  fade  out ; for  I put  them  in  a dark  place,  and  they  remain  to 
this  day.  I then  continued  experimenting  until  I arrived  at  a 
process  by  which  I took  a view  of  my  nearest  neighbor’s  house. 
At  that  time  (which  was  a year  previous  to  Niepce’s  publication), 
the  north  end  of  said  house  had  one  window  less  than  it  had 
three  months  before  the  date  of  Niepce’s  announcement.  That 
picture  I have  shown  to  a great  number  of  persons,  and  it  demon- 
strates my  priority  over  Niepce,  as  the  circumstances  in  respect 
to  the  windowless  picture  could  not  have  existed  on  any  other 
supposition. 

3.  I did  exhibit  specimens  in  natural  colors  several  months 
previous  to  Niepce’s  claim.  This  I could  easily  show  by  the 
affidavits  of  highly  respectable  persons,  if  it  were  necessary. 
The  reason  I did  not  make  a public  exhibition  may  be  found 
in  my  bump  of  caution.  I was  afraid  it  would  endanger  my 
secret. 

■ j 


72 


HELIOCHROMY. 


4.  As  soon  as  my  claim  and  my  truth  and  veracity  were 
seriously  called  in  question,  I began  to  collect  certificates.  I 
was  too  much  engaged  in  my  labors  to  make  a short  job  of  this 
by  going  abroad  with  my  pictures;  I merely  obtained  the  volun- 
tary statements  of  some  of  those  who  chanced  to  visit  me,  ex- 
cepting in  the  case  of  Prof.  Morse,  whom  I sent  for  during 
a severe  attack  of  bleeding  at  the  lungs,  which  led  me  to  fear  my 
life  was  drawing  to  a close.  Soon  after  his  visit  he  favored  me 
with  the  following  certificate,  which,  with  many  others,  was  pub- 
lished in  the  Neiv  York  Daily  Times  of  Oct.  26,  1852. 


Poughkeepsie,  ET.  Y.,  Oct.  6,  1852. 

Rev.  L.  L.  Hill — My  Dear  Sir  : — It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  testify, 
from  ocular  demonstration,  to  the  reality  of  your  discovery  of  a process  for 
fixing  the  colors  of  the  camera  obscura  image.  The  results  you  showed  me, 
especially  one  of  a bird  of  varied  plumage,  taken  in  two  seconds,  showed 
conclusively  that  the  blues,  yellows,  and  reds  were  distinctly  given  and  fixed. 
That  there  should  be  imperfections  in  the  manipulation  of  a new  process, 
and  that  you  should  therefore  desire  to  be  so  familiar  with  it  as  to  bring  it 
before  the  public  in  a perfect  form,  are  circumstances  natural  and  to  be  ex- 
pected. But  the  reality  of  your  discovery  is  beyond  question;  you  have 
laid  the  foundation  on  which  will  be  built  a splendid  structure.  Every 
stone,  and  the  finish  of  each,  or  of  the  whole  building,  it  may  not  be  in  your 
power,  from  your  feeble  health,  to  give ; but  whoever  builds  must  build  on 
your  foundation.  The  astonishing  tenacity  of  the  colors  upon  your  plates, 
yielding  neither  to  rubbing  nor  ordinary  exposure,  is  a distinct  feature  of  the 
greatest  importance.  So  also  is  the  quickness  of  the  process,  which,  when 
more  exactness  of  manipulation  is  attained,  will  enable  you  to  fix  at  will  the 
more  fleeting  hues  of  nature,  particularly  in  the  atmospheric  tints,  and  the 
expressive  colors  of  the  complexion  of  a portrait.  The  beauty  of  the  flesh 
tints  in  the  two  female  heads  from  nature,  which  you  showed  me,  and  those 
also  in  the  full  length  of  your  little  daughter,  fully  verified  this. 

M.  Becquerel,  one  of  the  most  indefatigable  and  illustrious  savans  of 
Europe,  has  had  his  great  mind,  with  all  its  garnishments  of  scientific  facts, 
directed  to  the  solution  of  the  problem  fixing  the  colors  of  the  Camera 
image,  and  the  result,  if  report  is  true,  is  failure:  “he  was  never  able  to 
fasten  the  colors.”  M.  St.  Victor  has  also  obtained  results  ingenious  and 
beautiful,  but  I learn  that  they  are  equally  evanescent.  But  even  if  they 


CERTIFICATES. 


were  permanent,  the  length  of  time  required  to  fix  the  image  is  fatal  for  all 
the  varied  practical  purposes  to  which  }*ours  is  applicable.  Portraits  cannot 
be  taken  by  a process  requiring  “ two  hours,”  or  even  “ fifteen  minutes.” 
Your  discovery,  so  far  as  I am  yet  apprised  of  the  labors  of  scientific  men, 
is  unequal,  and  yet  the  only  one  which  promises  in  its  perfected  state,  the 
great  ends  desired. 

With  respect,  your  friend  and  servant, 

Samuel  F.  B.  Morse. 

I also  subjoin  the  following,  with  the  remarks  of  the  New 
York  Evening  Post,  because  it  forms  an  essential  part  of  this 
history,  and  because  it  is  an  outspoken  document  from  a source 
which  every  reasonable  man  will  respect.  The  cutting  remark 
of  the  professor  concerning  “ some  who  are  not  only  a disgrace 
to  their  profession,  but  to  human  nature  itself,”  refers  more  par- 
ticularly to  the  so-called  “ committee”  of  the  so-called  “ New 
York  State  Daguerrean  Association,”  who  after  visiting  my  house, 
and  after  my  refusal  to  show  them  my  pictures,  reported  the 
whole  thing  as  an  “ unmitigated  delusion.”  I will  add  that  his 
words  have  been  verified  in  the  subsequent  conduct  of  the  chair- 
man of  said  “ committee,”  who  has  been  found  guilty  by  a legal 
tribunal  of  perjury  and  arson,  and  has  fled  to  Europe.  Another 
member  of  the  committee,  Mr.  Tomlinson,  then  of  Troy,  N.  Y., 
has  amply  atoned  to  me  by  letter,  for  the  part  he  took  in  this 
nefarious  affair. 


From  tho  Now  York  Evening  Post,  October  19, 1852. 

PHOTOGRAPHIC  COLORS. 

The  following  communication  from  Professor  Morse,  one  of  the  eminent 
painters  of  our  country,  who  held  for  nineteen  years  the  Presidency  of  the 
National  Academy  of  the  Art  of  Design,  and  whose  reputation  as  a man  of 
science  is  world-wide,  appears  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  and  will  be  read 
with  pleasure  by  all  whose  love  of  country  is  gratified  by  every  new 
achievement  among  us  in  science,  skill,  and  art : 

Gentlemen — I have  just  read  in  a letter  of  your  Paris  correspondent  some 
remarks  on  the  subject  of  “ Colored  Daguerreotypes,”  in  which  allusion  is 
made  to  Mr.  Hill,  of  Westkill,  New  York,  and  in  which  it  is  stated  that  Mr. 


74 


HELIOCHROMY. 


Hill  has  yet  exhibited  no  specimens  of  his  discovery,  while  “ M.  Niepce  St. 
Victor,  nephew  of  the  celebrated  discoverer  of  photography  in  France,  has 
made  the  grand  discovery,  and  showed  his  pictures  to  the  world.”  It  was 
also  stated,  that  “ M.  Becquerel  had  produced  colored  pictures,  but  he  was 
never  able  to  fasten  the  colors.”  On  this  subject,  allow  me  a few  remarks  in 
justice  to  the  American  discoverer  of  colored  photographs.  I received  a letter 
from  Mr.  Hill  a few  days  since,  desiring  to  see  me.  He  was  under  the  ap- 
prehension that  he  could  not  live  long,  having  suffered  from  a violent  hemor- 
rhage, which  he  supposed  was  from  the  lungs,  and  brought  on  by  his  untiring 
devotion  to  the  perfection  of  his  discovery.  On  the  1st  instant  I visited  him, 
some  sixty  miles  from  this  place.  I found  him  so  far  recovered  as  to  be  again 
able  to  renew  his  labors,  and,  I am  happy  to  say,  to  induce  the  belief  that 
the  hemorrhage  was  not  from  the  lungs. 

On  a previous  visit  a year  since,  he  showed  me  no  specimens  of  his  dis- 
covery; but  from  the  character  of  the  man,  and  his  manner,  I believed  him 
to  be  strictly  truthful  and  honest,  and  I was  satisfied  either  that  he  had  made 
the  discovery  which  he  had  claimed,  or  was  under  an  honest  delusion  in 
respect  to  it ; but  I could  not  then  testify  to  its  actuality  from  personal 
knowledge.  On  the  evening  of  the  1st  and  morning  of  the  2d  instant,  how- 
ever, all  doubt  of  the  substantial  fact  that  a great  discovery  in  photography 
had  been  made  by  Mr.  Hill  was  dispelled,  by  his  showing  me  some  twenty 
specimens  of  his  results.  The  most  of  them  were,  like  all  those  of  M.  St. 
Victor,  “ copies  of  colored  engravings .”  They  were  taken  by  the  camera,  and 
not,  as  has  been  reported,  “ mere  transfers  of  colored  prints  but  all  were 
not  “ copies  of  colored  engravings.”  Two  were  exquisitely  beautiful  portrait 
heads  from  life,  and  one  a full-length  of  a child  from  life.  One  a landscape 
view  from  nature,  principally  buildings,  which,  although  imperfect  in  parts, 
served  from  that  very  circumstance  to  verify  to  me  the  genuineness  of  the 
discovery.  The  conclusions  to  which  I came  from  what  I saw  are  these : 

First.  Mr.  Hill  has  made  the  discovery  of  a process  for  fixing  the  colors  of 
the  camera  image,  and,  although  not  so  perfected  in  all  its  complicated  parts 
as  to  be  equally  true  in  the  color  in  the  various  objects,  is  sufficiently  deve- 
loped in  its  results  to  give  assurance  of  its  ultimate  perfection. 

Second.  Mr.  Hill,  in  delaying  hitherto  to  impart  to  the  public  a discovery 
of  such  importance,  while  he  has  any  hope  of  making  it  more  perfect,  has 
acted  with  a wisdom  and  propriety  which  will  be  appreciated  by  the  public, 
and  by  none  more  than  the  most  distinguished  and  honorable  of  the  daguer- 
reotype professors. 

Third.  None  but  the  most  skilful  and  taste-endowed  practitioners  of  the 
present  photography  may  expect  to  succeed  in  developing  the  full  excellence 
of  Mr.  Hill’s  discovery.  It  must  be  in  the  hands  of  no  ordinary  man,  but 


CERTIFICATES. 


will  require  for  the  production  of  a perfect  picture,  the  taste,  the  skill,  the 
feeling  of  thorough  and  accomplished  artists. 

Fourth.  Mr.  Hill’s  process  cannot  be  like  M.  Becquerel’6,  for  it  is  stated  that 
M.  Becquerel  “ was  never  able  to  fix  the  colors,”  while  the  colors  in  Mr. 
Hill’s  process  are  so  fixed  that  the  most  severe  rubbing  with  a buffer  only- 
increases  their  brilliancy ; and  no  exposure  to  light  has  as  yet  been  found  to 
impair  their  brightness.  Nor  can  it  be  like  M.  Niepce  St.  Victor’s;  for 
“ fifteen  minutes,”  it  seems,  is  the  least  time  in  which  some  of  his  results 
were  obtained,  while  ordinarily,  “ it  takes  two  hours  of  exposure”  to  pro- 
duce them. . Mr.  Hill’s,  on  the  contrary,  are  produced  in  twenty  seconds  at 
most,  and  the  most  brilliant  and  most  beautiful  specimens  he  showed  me 
were  produced  in  two  seconds.  I also  learn  the  specimens  exhibited  by  M. 
Niepce,  at  the  Great  Exhibition,  were  so  evanescent,  that  they  perished 
before  the  exhibition  was  closed. 

Fifth.  I could  not  but  reflect  on  the  different  positions  of  those  who  are 
engaged  in  Europe  and  America  in  unfoldmg  this  great  scientific  mystery. 
The  experimenters  of  Europe  have  around  them,  and  at  command,  all  the 
appliances  of  art,  all  the  compounds,  the  products  of  the  chemical  labors  of 
the  world’s  best  scientific  minds,  ample  pecuniary  means  to  pursue  their 
researches;  they  are  further  encouraged  by  the  sympathy  of  the  world  of 
art,  and  national  patriotism  further  rallies  to  the  protection  of  their  country’s 
claims,  to  the  honor  of  such  a discovery. 

But  how  is  it  with  the  American  experimenter  ? Shut  up  in  the  sequestered 
valley  of  the  Catekill  Mountains,  with  no  appliances  of  art  at  his  command, 
and  purchasing  and  transporting  at  an  expense  almost  ruinous  to  him  the 
scanty  stock  of  chemicals  with  which  he  is  to  operate ; with  comparatively 
few  about  him  to  sympathize  with  him  in  his  labors  but  a devoted  wife, 
willingly  sharing  in  his  privations ; with  feeble  health  and  limited  means,  he 
untiringly  pursues  his  researches  at  the  hazard  of  all  he  has  in  the  world, 
even  of  life  itself,  that  he  may  give  to  the  world  his  perfected  discovery. 
But  at  least  such  a man  has  the  sympathy  of  those  to  whom  his  discovery 
will  be  of  the  deepest  interest  ? The  professors  of  the  daguerreotype  art  will 
hail  with  delight,  and  award  to  the  discoverer  the  highest  meed  of  honor? 
Americans,  too,  will  feel  a pride  in  sustaining  their  country’s  claim  to  the 
discovery  ? What  shall  I say  in  answer  to  these  questions?  Yes,  it  is  true, 
the  most  skilful,  the  most  honorable  of  the  daguerreotype  professors  do  hail 
Mr.  Hill’s  discovery  with  enthusiasm,  and  honor  the  discoverer.  But,  alas ! 
it  is  also  true  that  there  are  in  the  dagueireotype  profession,  some  who  are 
not  only  a disgrace  to  their  profession,  but  to  human  nature  itself.  Some  of 
these  have  been  the  most  prominent  in  intruding  on  his  privacy,  in  throwing 
before  the  public  insulting  inuendoes  as  well  as  positive  falsehoods,  harassing 


76 


HELIOCHROMY. 


him  with  diabolical  threats,  cfcc.  But  I forbear  at  present.  There  is  a chapter 
in  the  history  of  this  discovery  which,  for  the  honor  of  humanity,  I will 
hope  may  not  be  required  to  be  given,  but,  if  necessary,  shall  be  given,  for 
the  purpose  at  least  of  showing  the  nature  of  the  trials  to  which  our  Ameri- 
can discoverer  has  been  subjected.  Mr.  Hill  has  made  a great  discovery.  It  is 
not  perfected.  There  is  much  yet  to  be  done  to  make  it  perfect,  but  he  is  in 
advance  of  all  others,  and  has  within  the  year  successfully  overcome  two  of 
his  difficulties.  Both  yellow  and  white  were  defective  in  quality  and  truth 
a year  ago;  both  are  now  comparatively  obtained.  There  are  other 
colors  which,  in  order  to  make  them  so  true  as  to  satisfy  an  artist’s  mind  will 
require  yet  further  experimenting.  Is  not  this  reason  enough  for  not  at 
present  giving  his  process  to  the  public  ? Who  has  a right  to  demand  him  to 
reveal  it  to  the  public  now  ? Who,  indeed,  has  a right  to  demand  it  at  any 
time  ? I trust  his  life  may  be  spared  not  only  to  perfect  his  process,  but  that 
he  may  reap  some  reward,  both  in  honor  and  in  profit,  for  his  labors  before 
death  shall  take  him  from  us. 

With  respect,  gentlemen,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

Sam’l  F.  B.  Morse. 

Poughkeepsie,  New  York,  Oct.  4,  1852. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  I have  been  favored  with  more 
than  fifty  similar  statements  from  persons  of  the  first  standing  in 
society.  Of  many  of  these  I present  abstracts.  As  their  repub- 
lication forms  a part  of  the  legitimate  history  of  Heliochromy,  I 
trust  they  will  be  read  with  interest. 

The  following  extracts  from  a letter  of  P.  0.  White,  Esq,, 
published  in  the  Cincinnati  Daily  Times,  of  August  25,  show  the 
opinion  of  a portrait  painter  of  high  standing  : — 

You  ask  me  why  I do  not  return  to  Cincinnati.  The  time  has  not  yet 
come.  Suffice  it  to  say  for  the  present,  that  I have  been  out  to  see  the 
Hillotype,  or  photograph  in  natural  colors,  discovered  by  L.  L.  Hill,  and  that 
until  it  comes  out,  I shall  not  feel  disposed  to  leave  Hew  York.  I have  seen 
several  pictures  taken  by  the  camera. 

These  pictures  are  enameled — cannot  be  rubbed  out — can  be  seen  from 
any  point  of  view — as  easily  taken  as  daguerreotypes — not  any  more  expen- 
sive— have  most  of  the  charms  of  natural  color — will  prove  a great  auxiliary 
to  art — and  are  a contribution  of  wondrous  beauty  to  the  science  of  the  age. 
The  colors  are  a discovery — the  process  of  taking  them  an  invention,  destined 


CERTIFICATES . 


77 


by  the  science  of  our  time  to  advance  and  popularize  aesthetic  study  beyond 
all  former  precedent. 

This  is  an  American  contribution  to  science  for  the  next  World’s  Fair,  to 
which  European  schools  of  art  will  be  more  indebted  than  they  have  been  to 
Greece.  Now,  in  this  democracy  of  science — the  true  vicegerent  of  the 
Divine  Master,  infallible  and  superhuman — we  have  a reliable  master,  not  of 
fabulous  descent  from  Jupiter,  but  of  demonstrable  descent  from  the  Father 
of  Light,  revealing  and  verifying  the  true,  exposing  the  false,  and  suggesting 
that  spiritual  ideal  that  ravishes  the  true  student  of  nature. 

Nor  are  its  utilitarian  aspects  to  be  overlooked  ; for  Mr.  Hill  is  a public 
benefactor,  deserving  riches  and  immortulity.  He  has  furnished  to  the 
widow  and  the  fatherless,  and  those  that  have  no  help,  a truly  feminine  and 
reliable  profession ; and  to  the  traveller,  the  man  of  science,  the  botanist, 
florist,  <fcc.,  a most  valuable  assistance. 


Westkill,  Greene  Co.,  If.  T.,  Dec.  12,  1851. 

I take  great  pleasure  in  stating  that  Mr.  L.  L.  Hill  has  been  well  known  in 
this  community  for  many  years;  that  for  eight  or  nine  years  he  served  the 
church  of  which  I am  pastor,  in  the  same  sacred  capacity — and  that  his 
character  for  moral  honesty  and  integrity  stands  far  above  suspicion ; so 
much  so,  that  no  one  who  is  intimately  acquainted  with  him  would  believe 
him  capable  of  practising  deception  upon  the  public  by  professing  to  have 
made  a great  and  important  discovery  which  he  did  not  know,  beyond  the 
possibility  of  “ a delusion  ” or  mistake,  he  could  at  the  proper  time  prove,  to 
the  conviction  of  the  most  skeptical. 

I know  from  personal  inspection,  that  his  avowed  discovery  is  “an  unmi- 
tigated” reality,  having  repeatedly  examined  many  of  his  pictures  heliotyped 
in  natural  colors,  upon  burnished  silver  plates,  chemically  coated ; and  which 
present,  in  a beautiful  and  brilliant  form,  the  various  shades  and  tints  of  red, 
blue,  violet,  green,  yellow,  orange,  and  all  the  colors  of  the  spectrum. 

The  specimens  which  I have  examined  consist  not  only  of  copies  of 
colored  prints,  but  flowers,  views,  and  likenesses  of  persons  whom  I know, 
taken  from  life,  and  surpassing,  in  a degree  far  beyond  expression,  the  finest 
miniature  paintings  I have  ever  seen. 

I have  no  personal  interest  to  subserve  in  making  this  avowal,  but  do  it 
from  the  purest  motives,  and  with  a sincere  desire  to  aid  in  vindicating  the 
character  of  Mr.  Hill  from  the  many  invidious  attacks  made  upon  it,  by  per- 
sons who  seem  to  be  ignorant  of  his  high  moral  worth,  as  well  as  of  the 


78 


HELIOCHROMY. 


reality  and  transcendent  character  of  his  discovery — assured,  that,  so  soon  as 
he  is  able  to  perfect  the  subordinate  details  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  own 
mind,  and  so  as  to  render  his  process  simple  and  intelligible  to  the  practition- 
ers of  the  Daguerrean  art,  he  will  submit  the  brilliant  results  to  the  scruti- 
nizing inspection  of  an  intelligent  public. 

A.  E.  CLARK, 

Pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church,  Westkill. 


From  S.  S.  Harding,  Esq.,  portrait  painter,  and  brother  of  the 
celebrated  artist  Chester  Harding,  Boston.  S.  S.  Harding  is 
well  known  in  many  parts  of  the  United  States  as  a gentleman 
eminent  in  his  profession. 


Albion,  K Y.  Nov.  21,  1851. 

Rev.  Mr.  Hill — Dear  Sir: — Your  letter  of  the  17th  has  just  this  moment 
been  received,  and  I hasten  cheerfully  to  comply  with  your  request.  How 
any  one  could  be  malicious  enough  to  say  that  such  pictures  as  you  were 
kind  enough  to  show  us  were  transferred,  is  past  my  comprehension ; and 
base  must  be  the  man  who  could  throw  any  obstacle  in  the  way  of  your  pro- 
gress in  this  wonderful  discovery. 

S.  S.  HARDING. 


I fully  concur  in  the  above. 


S.  M.  HARYEY, 

Daguerreotypist,  Albion. 


Catskill,  Greene  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  27,  1851. 

To  the  Public  : — This  certifies  that  I have  been  privileged  to  be  a wit- 
ness to  the  discovery  of  L.  L.  Hill,  and  I take  great  pleasure  in  stating,  in  the 
most  positive  terms,  that  having  seen  a large  number  of  his  specimens,  they 
are  better  by  far,  than  he  has  ever  represented  them,  being  far  superior  to 
the  best  Daguerreotypes  or  Paintings.  His  views  possess  a charm,  which  no 
pencil  or  brush  can  equal,  and  which  nature  alone  can  excel.  His  portraits 
from  life,  in  natural  colors,  are  perfectly  exquisite.  The  tints  of  the  various 
complexions  are  beautifully  natural,  soft,  and  harmonious ; the  rosy  hues  of 
the  cheeks  and  lips,  the  color  of  the  eyes,  hair,  and  the  various  tints  of  red, 


CERTIFICATES. 


79 


blue,  green,  orange,  violet,  buff,  Ac.,  in  the  drapery,  greatly  surpass  the 
utmost  I have  ever  conceived  from  the  published  accounts.  A chief  beauty 
of  these  pictures  is  in  the  blue,  green,  fawn,  and  other  colored  grounds; 
these  presenting  a sort  of  mellow,  illuminated  appearance,  which  causes  the 
portrait  to  set  out  with  a surprising  relief  and  life-like  aspect.  In  a word,  I 
cheerfully  lend  my  name  to  the  assertion  that  Mr.  Hill’s  claim  is  true,  to  the 
fullest  extent 

GEORGE  W.  HALCOTT, 

Sheriff  of  Greene  Co.,  N.  Y. 


Rochester,  Monroe  Co.,  May  14,  1852. 

This  certifies  that  I have  seen  great  numbers  of  the  results  of  L.  L.  Hill’s 
process  for  photographing  in  natural  colors,  and  I take  great  pleasure  in 
affirming  most  positively  that  they  are  all,  and  more  than  he  ever  repre- 
sented them.  They  are  natural  colors  in  every  possible  variety,  including 
red,  blue,  yellow,  orange,  buff,  fawn,  brown,  green,  Ac.,  embracing  the 
minutest  middle  tints  of  every  hue.  The  portraits  from  life  are  marvellous 
productions,  and  no  man  of  taste  can  see  them  without  feeling  that  a great 
light  has  arisen  in  the  mountain  wilds  of  Westkill.  Mr.  Hill  has  made  a 
wonderful  discovery,  one  that  will  supersede  every  other  form  of  coloration. 
The  beautiful  lights  and  shades  of  Daguerreotypes  will  now  give  way  to 
these  more  beautiful  blendings  of  the  prismatic  rays.  I cannot  speak  too 
highly  of  the  portraits  from  life,  which  Mr.  Hill  was  kind  enough  to  show 
me.  One,  of  a person  with  whose  features  I am  well  acquainted,  I must 
say,  baffles  description.  It  exhibits  the  fresh  tints,  the  color  of  the  cheeks, 
lips,  hair,  and  drapery,  with  a softness  and  glossy  brilliancy  beyond  concep- 
tion, and  yet  this  transcript  of  life  itself,  standing  out  on  a soft,  colored 
ground,  is  most  remarkable  for  its  perfect  resemblance  to  life.  May  God 
speed  the  pleasing  wonder ! 

JAMES  HEATH,  Daguerreotypist, 

55  Emporium  Block,  Main  street,  Rochester. 


New  York,  Dec.  20,  1851. 

Tliis  certifies  that  Mr.  Hill  has  kindly  shown  me  several  specimens  of 
his  pictures  in  natural  colors.  In  justice  to  him  I take  great  pleasure  in 
expressing  my  admiration  of  these  wonderful  works  of  light,  and  in  stating 
that  they  affoi'd  the  most  pleasing  and  conclusive  evidence  that  Mr.  Hill’s 


80 


HELIOCHROMY. 


claim  to  his  magnificent  discovery  is  a just  one.  He  showed  to  me,  among 
other  specimens,  copies  of  paintings,  smaller  than  the  originals,  which  I saw, 
proving  them  to  have  been  taken  in  a Camera ; also,  a rose  bush,  a wreath  of 
roses,  and  various  other  specimens  of  this  truly  surprising  discovery,  in  all  of 
which  the  colors  were  well  defined  and  properly  located.  I also  saw  a por- 
trait from  life,  on  a half  size  plate,  which  was  strikingly  beautiful.  As  one 
whose  whole  soul  is  in  the  photographic  art,  I feel  a just  pride  in  stating  that 
the  above  picture  is  all  sufficient  and  glorious  proof  of  the  great  importance 
of  Mr.  Hill’s  discovery,  and  a complete  vindication  of  the  truth  of  his  preten- 
sions from  the  first. 

Mr.  Hill  has  confidentially  explained  to  me,  as  an  operator,  some  of  his 
reasons  for  not  publicly  exhibiting  his  pictures.  These  reasons  are  perfectly 
satisfactory,  and  lead  him  to  act  as  any  man  would  who  regarded  the  safety 
of  his  discovery. 

SAMUEL  ROOT,  Daguerrean  Artist, 

363  Broadway,  Hew  York. 


Philadelphia,  Jan.  6,  1852. 

I have  seen  Mr.  L.  L.  Hill’s  finished  pictures,  portraits  from  life,  taken 
with  the  Camera,  upon  silver  surfaces,  or  usual  Daguerreotype  plates,  and 
must  say,  in  reference  to  their  perfect  exactness  of  transcription  from  their 
originals,  and  their  exquisite,  their  transcendent  beauty,  as  works  of  art,  I 
can  not  only  endorse  all  he  has  said  of  them,  but  would  speak  even  more 
strongly,  if  stronger  language  could  be  found. 

I have  also  seen  numerous  specimens  of  Mr.  Hill’s  “ experiments,”  produced 
by  the  action  of  light,  such  as  copies  of  prints,  flowers,  <fcc.,  with  a view  of 
developing  the  various  shades,  or  tints  of  colors,  many  of  which  were  truly 
beautiful  and  interesting. 

His  portraits  from  life,  I am  happy  to  say,  are  all  that  the  most  enthu- 
siastic Daguerrean  Artist  can  desire,  and  much  more  beautiful  than  our 
scientific  men  and  the  public  have  been  led  to  suppose.  The  time  will  come 
when  all  generous  minds  will  award  to  Mr.  Hill  due  credit  for  having  guarded 
so  faithfully,  thus  far,  the  wonderful  discovery  which  it  has  been  his  good 
fortune  to  bring  before  the  world. 

M.  A.  ROOT,  Daguerreotypist, 

140  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia. 


CERTIFICATES. 


81 

New  York,  June  12,  1852. 

This  is  to  certify  that  I have  just  visited  Mr.  L.  L.  Hill,  at  his  residence, 
and  that  he  gratified  me  with  a sight  of  his  pictures  in  natural  colors.  I say 
most  cheerfully,  and  as  an  act  of  justice  to  Mr.  Hill,  that  I am  perfectly  satis- 
fied of  the  truth  of  his  claim  in  the  broadest  and  fullest  sense.  These  pictures 
are  really  exquisite  and  beautiful,  differing  essentially  from  any  other  style 
of  picture.  They  present  every  possible  variety  of  color  and  tint,  in  a most 
brilliant  form — the  whites  are  peculiarly  bright  and  glossy — and  the  aspect 
of  the  pictures  is  one  of  astonishing  boldness  and  relief  The  flesh  tints  of  the 
pictures  from  life,  the  color  of  the  hair,  drapery,  background,  <kc.,  are  fine 
beyond  description  ; and  I unhesitatingly  pronounce  the  invention  a wonder- 
ful one,  and  shall  hail  with  joy  the  day  when  I shall  be  allowed  to  work  it. 

J.  GURNEY, 

• 189  Broadway,  N.  Y. 


New  York,  July  6,  1852. 

I cheerfully  concur  in  the  foregoing,  and  would  add  stronger  language,  if 
stronger  could  be  found,  in  support  of  the  entire,  and  most  gratifying  truth 
of  Mr.  Hill’s  discovery.  From  actual  inspection  of  his  results — among  them 
portraits  from  life — I am  amazed  and  delighted  beyond  my  power  to 
express. 

C.  C.  HARRISON,  Camera  Manufacturer , 

85  Duane  street,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Harrison  is  one  of  tlie  oldest  and  best  Daguerreotypists 
in  the  country  ; and  as  a practical  optician,  has  gained  a world- 
wide fame  in  the  manufacture  of  Cameras. 


Boston,  August  30,  1252. 

This  is  to  certify  that  I have  examined  with  astonishment,  several  Daguer- 
reotypes, in  which  were  faithfully  copied  all  the  colors  of  nature,  by  L.  L. 
Hill,  among  them  a portrait  from  life,  and  upwards  of  thirty  different  copies 
of  colored  engravings ; and  I am  fully  convinced  that  he  has  discovered  a 
chemical  process  by  which  he  can  take  Daguerreotypes  with  all  the  natural 
colors.  Many  of  those  shown  me  were  copies  of  birds  of  paradise;  the  sub- 
jects being  a capital  test  for  hi6  newly  discovered  art ; in  the  copies  is  repre- 

6 


82 


HELIOCHROMY. 


sented  upon  the  silver  plates,  every  shade  and  tint  of  color  imaginable;  the 
impression  is  more  readily  seen  than  in  the  common  Daguerreotype,  and 
appears  imbedded  in  the  silver,  instead  of  being  upon  the  surface ; and  the 
higher  the  plate  is  polished,  after  the  impression  is  taken,  the  more  brilliant 
are  the  colors  thrown  out. 

JOHN  A.  WHIPPLE,  Daguerreotypist, 

96  Washington  street,  Boston. 


St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Sept.  15,  1852. 

Friend  Whipple,  in  the  above,  has  told  the  truth ; for  I have  seen  the 
same. 

E.CONG, 

S.  E.  corner  4th  and  Market  street 


Otsego,  N.  Y.,  March  10,  1852. 

Having  examined  a number  of  Mr.  Hill’s  specimens,  I hereby  certify,  that 
his  daily  experiments  show  rapid  and  marked  advancement  in  the  art,  which 
betoken  a speedy  consummation.  Having  also  examined  some  of  his  por- 
traits, from  life,  in  natural  colors,  I certify  that  my  best  anticipations  were 
more  than  realized.  According  to  my  judgment,  they  far  surpass  in  beauty, 
truthfulness,  and  finish,  any  engraving  or  painting  ever  examined  by  me, 
leaving  nothing  more  to  be  desired  in  the  way  of  portrait  taking. 

ERASTUS  WESTCOTT, 

Pastor  Baptist  Church. 


Prattsville,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  19,  1852. 

This  certifies  that  I have  seen  L.  L.  HHl’s  portraits  from  life,  and  other  spe- 
cimens in  natural  colors,  and  they  are  beautiful  beyond  the  power  of  lan- 
guage to  describe.  They  afford  the  most  positive  proof  of  the  truth  of  his 
assertions  respecting  the  greatness  and  utility  of  his  discovery.  I also  certify, 
to  the  country  and  the  world  at  large,  that  I have  known  Mr.  Hill  many 
years,  and  his  integrity  is  as  natural  and  real  as  the  glowing  colors  on  his 
plates.  JOHN  LARAWAY, 

Former  Sheriff  of  Greene  Co. 


CERTIFICATES, 


33 


Lexington,  May  25,  1852. 

This  certifies  that  I have  seen  numerous  specimens  of  the  results  of  Mr.  L. 
L.  Hill’s  process  of  photographing  in  colors.  Incredible  as  it  may  seem,  it  is 
strictly  true  that  these  pictures,  and  especially  the  portraits  of  living  persons, 
are  all,  and  more  than  language  has  ever  described  them.  His  process  gives 
not  only  every  color,  but  the  minutest  tint  of  every  color,  and  that  with  a 
brilliant;  enameled  appearance,  truly  charming  and  exquisitely  soft  and  beau- 
tiful. I could  not  speak  too  strongly  of  these  wonderful  pictures,  and  espe- 
cially would  my  words  be  inadequate  to  describe  the  charm  of  the  flesh  color 
and  carnation  tint  of  the  portraits  from  life. 

D.  LYMAN, 

Minister  of  the  Gospel,  Methodist  Ep.  Church. 


Lexington,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  2,  1851. 

£ In  the  portraits  and  views  there  is  all  that  Mr.  Hill  has  represented  to  the 
public ; and  I may  add,  a truthfulness  to  the  colors  of  the  complexion,  hair, 
eyes,  drapery,  back-ground,  <fcc.,  and  a certain  peculiar  appearance,  as  of  life 
itself  which  no  man’s  language  can  adequately  represent. 

HEZEKIAH  PETTIT, 

Pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Lexington  for  fifty  years  past. 


New  York,  Gurney’s  Gallery,  189  Broadway,  May  24,  1852. 

I have  scon  Mr.  L L.  Hill’s  pictures  in  natural  colors,  and  examined  them 
with  the  closest  scrutiny  in  broad  daylight ; and  I unhesitatingly  certify  to 
the  existence  of  the  discovery  in  a most  desirable  shape.  I can  conceive  of 
nothing  more  perfect  than  these  pictures,  and  the  process  will  most  certainly 
supersede  all  others  the  instant  it  is  introduced.  I have  the  honor  of  being 
the  first  person  that  visited  Mr.  Hill  in  reference  to  his  discovery — have  fre- 
quently visited  Westkill,  and  must  say,  that  though  I do  not  know  anything 
of  a perfect  man,  I never  knew  a man  who  enjoyed  the  love  and  confidence  of 
his  neighbors  more  than  the  slandered  L.  L.  Hill. 

CALEB  HUNT,  Daguerreotypist. 


Granville,  0.,  Sept.  1,  1852. 

I hereby  certify  that  I have  seen  and  carefully  examined  Mr.  L.  L Hill’s 
pictures  taken  in  natural  colors,  and  that  they  far  exceed  in  richness,  depth, 


84 


HELIOCHROMY. 


boldness,  relief,  and  mellowness  of  tone,  the  finest  daguerreotype  or  oil  paint- 
ing, and  at  the  same  time  display  all  the  tints  of  every  variety  of  color.  If 
the  fraternity  do  not  trouble  him  too  much  with  visits  and  propositions,  he 
will  soon  introduce  the  process  in  a very  desirable  and  practical  shape. 

Yours  truly,  W.  H.  WEEKS,  Daguerreotypist. 

For  three  years  with  M.  A.  Root,  Philadelphia. 


Ashland,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  12,  1851. 

Some  months  since  I saw  several  specimens  of  L.  L.  Hill’s  photography  in 
natural  colors,  and  would  say,  with  pleasure,  that  they  bear  no  marks  of 
being  transfers,  but  are  the  true  colors,  of  the  objects  from  which  they  were 
taken  by  the  action  of  light,  through  the  medium  of  the  Camera  Obscura. 

MORRIS  BAILEY,  Daguerreotypist. 

Now  of  88  Merrimac  street,  Lowell,  Mass. 

Catskill,  Dec.  2,  1851. 

We,  the  undersigned,  being  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  Morris  Bailey,  would 
say  that  we  believe  him  to  be  a man  of  strict  honor  and  integrity,  and  that 
any  statement  that  he  has  made,  or  shall  make,  may  be  relied  upon  by  the 
public.  GEORGE  W.  HALCOTT, 

Sheriff  of  Greene  County,  N.  Y. 

J.  VAN  ORDEN,  Clerk  of  Do. 


Newbubg,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  27,  1851. 

I certify  that  I have  seen  many  of  L.  L.  Hill’s  pictures  in  natural  colors.  I 
have  spent  much  time  at  his  house,  and  repeatedly  seen  him  produce,  by 
means  of  the  Camera,  copies  of  colored  prints  and  paintings  which  were  ex- 
ceedingly accurate  representations  of  the  originals.  I have  also  seen  his  por- 
traits from  life,  which  are  exceedingly  beautiful ; and  in  two  instances  I saw 
him  take  portraits  of  living  persons,  with  very  short  sittings  (only  a few 
seconds),  in  which  all  the  colors  of  the  complexion  and  dress  were  beauti- 
fully rendered. 

WM.  SCHERMERHORN,  Daguerreotypist. 


From  the  Newburgh  Gazette,  Oct.  20, 1852. 

THE  WONDERS  OF  THE  HILLOTYPE. 

We  have  been  shown  by  Mr.  Hill,  the  inventor  of  the  “Hillotype,”  a variety 
©f  the  beautiful  creations  of  his  genius.  He  has  really  invented  a process  of 


CERTIFICATES. 


85 


transferring  to  his  plates  all  the  natural  colors.  The  freshness  of  life  is  im- 
parted to  his  pictures,  which  are  not  excelled  in  their  resemblance  of  nature, 
even  by  the  gorgeous  tints  of  the  rainbow.  Red,  and  Blue,  and  Yellow,  the 
principal  primary  colors,  are  copied  with  wonderful  facility  by  his  truly  mar- 
vellous invention,  and  with  them  are  mingled,  with  perfect  exactness,  all  the 
various  hues  and  tints,  and  combinations  of  colors  of  the  solar  spectrum.  We 
could  scarcely  believe  that  a “ consummation  so  devoutly  to  be  wished,”  had 
been  reached,  until  we  beheld  it,  as  we  have  had  the  happiness  of  doing,  with 
our  own  eyea  Now  that  we  have  seen  it,  like  “ unbelieving  Thomas,”  we 
are  entirely  satisfied  of  its  actuality. 

But  we  have  not  the  space  at  present  to  particularize  the  merits  of  this 
invention.  Mr.  Hill  is  about  making  arrangements  to  perfect  his  discovery,  and 
give  the  world  the  benefit  of  its  extraordinary  capabilities.  The  public,  we 
are  sure,  will  hail  the  day,  which  is  fast  approaching,  when  their  curiosity, 
equally  with  their  wants,  can  be  gratified  with  the  inspection  as  well  as  the 
possession  of  his  exact  and  beautiful  imitations  of  the  prismatic  colors. 


Kingston,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  27,  1851. 

This  certifies,  that  some  months  ago,  I was  kindly  favored  by  my  old  and 
well-tried  friend,  Mr.  L.  L.  Hill,  with  a sight  of  several  specimens  of  his  pic- 
tures in  natural  colors.  Those  I 6aw  were  evidently  a great  improvement  in 
the  art — exhibiting  as  they  did,  in  a clear,  distinct,  and  brilliant  manner,  the 
several  colors  and  tints  of  the  solar  spectrum.  Of  the  copies  of  colored  prints 
I saw,  I examined  the  originals,  and  found  them  much  larger  than  the  copies, 
settling  the  matter  conclusively  that  these  specimens  of  Mr.  Hill’s  matchless 
discovery  were  produced  in  the  Camera. 

Mr.  Hill  has  also  shown  me  6ome  pictures  from  life,  in  which  the  colors 
are  rendered  with  a truthfulness  truly  surprising. 

DANIEL  BRADBURY, 
Formerly  Publisher  of  the  Rondout  Freeman. 


Kingston,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  27,  1851. 

This  certifies  that  we  are  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  Daniel  Bradbury,  and 
that  his  character  for  moral  worth,  truth,  and  integrity,  is  fully  established 
in  our  minds,  and  in  this  community. 

WM.  H.  ROMEYN,  P.  M. 

J.  D.  L.  MONTAYNE,  Clerk  of  Ulster  Co. 
WILLIAM  MASTEN,  Surrogate. 

THOS.  CLARK,  County  Treasurer. 


86 


HELIOCHROMY* 


Kingston,  N.  Y.  Nov.  24,  1851. 

This  certifies  that  I have  -witnessed  several  of  Mr.  L.  L.  Hill’s  experiments 
in  natural  colors.  I saw  him  produce,  photogenically,  beautiful  copies  of 
colored  objects,  by  an  exposure  of  three  or  four  seconds  to  diffuse  light.  I 
saw  the  originals,  and  state  positively,  that  they  were  copied  true  to  the  tints 
of  color,  including  various  shades  of  green,  red,  blue,  orange,  and  yellow. 
Having  through  this  medium  my  imagination  fired  in  relation  to  the  beauty 
of  his  chief  productions,  I must  say  that  it  was  totally  submerged  in  the 
reality  that  was  exhibited  to  my  view  in  the  portraits  from  life. 

JOSEPH  W.  KERR. 

In  the  truth  and  integrity  of  Joseph  W.  Kerr,  we  have  full  confidence. 

C.  S.  OLAY,  Druggist 

JAS.  S.  SMITH,  Pres.  Kingston  Bank. 

M.  SCHOONMAKER,  Att'y  at  Law. 

R.  N.  BALDWIN,  Merchant. 


The  subjoined  article,  from  the  Rondout  Examiner,  written  by 
the  talented  editor  of  that  paper,  Robert  Gosman,  Esq.,  I give 
entire,  for  the  reason  that  Mr.  Gosman  has  said  for  me  what  I 
could,  not  so  well  express  myself. 


From  the  Eondont  Examiner  of  June  3, 1852. 

THE  HILLOTYPE— ITS  DISCOVERY,  PROGRESS,  AND  POSITION. 

Some  eighteen  months  ago  the  world  was  pleasantly  surprised  by  the 
announcement  that  the  Rev.  L.  L.  Hill,  of  Westkill,  Greene  County,  New 
York,  had  mastered  a secret  which  had  baffled  all  inquisitive  science  up  to 
that  time,  viz.  the  art  of  “ Daguerreotyping  in  colors.”  It  was  stated  in  a 
communication  by  Mr.  Hill  to  a journal  specially  devoted  to  Daguerrean  art, 
that  the  only  material  obstacle  to  full  success  seemed  to  be  in  the  inability  to 
reproduce  the  yellow  tints  of  the  original.  Of  course  so  near  an  approach  to 
complete  discovery,  which  hundreds  in  this  country  and  Europe  had  been 
seeking  without  achieving  anything,  made  quite  a sensation. 

It  is  proper  to  say  here  that  the  “ Hillotype  ” was  the  name  given  to  the 
production  of  Mr.  Hill’s  process,  by  a journal  devoted  to  Daguerrean  infor- 
mation. And  it  is  but  justice  to  say,  too,  that  Mr.  Hill’s  discovery  was  not 
a stumble  upon  an  unsought  art,  but  that  he  had  been  earnestly  engaged 
some  two  years  in  pursuit  of  the  secret,  which  burst  upon  him  when  he  least 
looked  for  the  revelation. 


CERTIFICATES. 


87 


Mr.  Hill,  on  the  announcement  as  above,  was  an  object  of  general  attention, 
and  especially  so  to  the  Daguerreotypists  generally.  His  secluded  abode  was 
overrun  by  visitors,  and  he  was  as  suddenly  overwhelmed  by  letters.  There 
were  some  visitors  and  inquirers  who  had  a rational  curiosity  to  satisfy,  but 
the  major  part  were  persons  exercising  the  Daguerrean  art  mechanically,  and 
anxious  to  gain  the  process  for  the  pecuniary  gains  which  certainly  would 
follow  its  first  exercise.  The  consequence  was,  that  Mr.  Hill  was  almost  de- 
prived of  the  time  to  pursue  his  labors  for  the  completion  of  his  art,  and 
annoyed  beyond  endurance  by  some  of  his  sordid  and  prying  visitors,  who 
stood  upon  no  considerations  of  delicacy  in  pursuing  their  purpose.  There 
were  those,  it  is  true,  among  visitors  and  correspondents,  who  were  of  a dif- 
ferent mould,  and  who  showed  their  sympathy  by  proffers  of  aid  in  any  de- 
sired shape.  But  Mr.  Hill  had  a very  natural  and  honorable  desire  to  com- 
plete his  discovery  alone,  and  hence  he  was  compelled  to  decline  many  kind 
offices  of  this  class,  though  sensible  of  their  worth. 

His  position  at  this  time  (one  year  ago)  was  peculiar,  ne  labored  alone. 
His  means  of  support,  as  well  as  the  funds  for  his  large  outlay  for  materials, 
were  derived  from  the  sale  of  a treatise  on  the  Daguerrean  art,  forming  a 
manual  for  the  operator,  added  to  something  derived  from  the  tuition  of 
pupils.  This  was  certainly  not  the  most  agreeable  situation  for  an  enthusias- 
tic pursuit,  but  Mr.  Hill  was  satisfied.  He  pursued  his  studies  with  intensity, 
scarcely  allowing  himself  time  for  sleep.  lie  was  compelled  to  fix  stringent 
rules  as  to  visitants,  and  warned  by  some  very  flagrant  inquisitions,  he  was 
also  forced  to  deny  ordinary  visitants  a sight  of  his  results. 

At  this  time  (the  summer  of  1851),  Mr.  Hill  was  sanguine  of  the  completion 
of  his  discovery  in  a few  weeks.  Obstacles,  however,  prevented  this,  but  his 
progress  was  such  as  to  give  him  strong  hope  from  day  to  day  of  final  suc- 
cess. In  November,  1861,  Westkill  was  invaded  by  a 6clf-styled  Convention 
from  a “ State  Daguerrean  Association,”  "whose  proceedings  may,  possibly,  be 
the  subject  of  another  notice.  It  is  enough  now  to  say,  that  the  conduct  of 
the  master-spirit  of  the  three  inquisitors  was  such  that  Mr.  Hill  declined 
showing  them  his  plates,  or  giving  them  that  satisfaction  which  was  demanded 
as  a right  This  “Committee”  published  a report  in  a New  York  paper, 
signed  by  five  names,  though  but  three  persons  were  at  Mr.  Hill’s  residence. 
The  gist  of  the  report  was,  that  Mr.  Hill  had  not  only  deluded  others,  but 
himself,  and  that  the  whole  history  of  his  alleged  discovery,  “ has  been  an 
unmitigated  delusion.”  The  “ Committee,”  however,  very  contradictorily 
charged  Mr.  Hill  with  making  a profit  of  his  alleged  pretense — a charge 
which,  it  is  plain,  would  rather  militate  against  the  after  admission  of  his 
“ delusion.”  They  averred  in  fact,  that  from  the  sale  of  his  books  and  tuition 


88 


HELIOCHROMY. 


of  pupils  attracted  by  the  fame  of  bis  discovery,  be  “realized  a band- 
some  income,”  and  that  tbis  -was  tbe  real  object  of  Mr.  Hill’s  announce- 
ment. 

Tbis  report — characterless,  and  bearing  on  its  face  tbe  most  sordid  and 
narrow  motives — did  injure  Mr.  Hill  materially.  Where  be  was  personally 
known  it  could  do  him  no  harm.  But  tbe  first  announcement  of  bis  disco- 
very bad  injured  the  Daguerrean  business  sensibly,  and  operators  eagerly 
seized  and  circulated  a denial  which  might  avail  their  interests.  Tbe  result 
was,  Mr.  Hill’s  treatise  was  no  longer  a source  of  revenue  to  him,  and  be  was 
compelled,  in  self-vindication,  to  dismiss  bis  pupils.  But  tbe  worst  effect  was 
tbe  sore  blow  given  to  a sensitive,  nervous  man,  not  very  well  hardened  at 
best  by  contact  with  tbis  bustling  world,  and  unstrung  by  intense  solitary 
labor  and  seclusion.  Conscious  of  bis  rectitude  of  purpose,  and  the  validity 
of  his  discovery,  he  was  hurt  by  imputations  of  tbis  sordid  cast.  He  did,  how- 
ever, sustained  by  personal  friends  knowing  bis  integrity,  and  by  artists  able 
to  certify  to  tbe  truth  of  bis  productions,  interpose  a defence  against  tbis 
assault.  But  the  mischief  bad  been  done  in  begetting  a skepticism  which 
those  interested  in  it  knew  bow  to  turn  to  account.  And  though  among  those 
who  came  to  tbe  rescue  be  might  include  Professor  Morse,  and  other  adepts 
in  sciences,  and  of  tbe  most  unquestioned  integrity,  yet  tbe  world  looked  on 
with  indifference  for  tbe  time,  whilst  Mr.  Hill  pursued  bis  solitary  struggles 
towards  success. 

During  tbe  whole  of  tbe  pendency  of  Mr.  Hill’s  discovery,  tbe  writer  of  tbis 
article  has  bad  the  firmest  faith  in  its  actuality,  based  on  a knowledge  of  Mr. 
Hill’s  science  years  ago,  and  tbe  reports  of  reliable  witnesses  who  bad  verified 
bis  pretences  by  sight. 

The  “ Committee  report  ” was  too  transparent  and  common  a newspaper 
“speculation”  to  impose  upon  any  one  experienced  in  tbe  doublings  of  jour- 
nalism, and  it  would  have  been  a weak  part  indeed  to  have  been  imposed 
upon  by  such  a mass  of  discrepancies. 

Having  a natural  curiosity  to  see  a “ Hillotype,”  the  writer  would  probably 
have  visited  Westkill  a year  ago,  but  for  tbe  impression  that  it  would  only 
retard  Mr.  Hill’s  progress,  and  infringe  upon  a time  already  too  much  tres- 
passed upon  by  tbe  curious.  But  circumstances  allowing  a visit,  divested  of 
its  intrusive  character,  tbe  writer  a few  days  ago  had  tbe  privilege  of  visit- 
ing Mr.  Hill’s  studio,  and  will  state  what  be  saw  there. 

A VISIT  TO  WESTKILL MR.  HILL  AND  HIS  HILLOTYPES. 

On  the  morning  of  tbe  24th  of  May,  tbe  writer  with  a friend,  visited  Mr. 
Hill’s  studio  at  WestkilL  After  some  conversation  Mr.  Hill  exhibited  some 


CERTIFICATES. 


89 


dozen  or  more  “ Hillotypes  ” on  large  sized  plates.  They  were  the  copies  of 
elaborately  colored  French  engravings.  In  these,  the  most  diversified  and 
delicate  hues  and  tints  were  rendered  with  the  most  beautiful  distinctness. 
It  was  especially  noted  by  the  writer  that  all  shades  of  yellow  (Mr.  Hill  had 
been  puzzled  by  this  color  at  his  outset)  running  through  all  gradations  from 
the  richest  aureole  to  the  faintest  tint  in  a complexion,  were  freely  and  trans- 
parently rendered.  These  specimens  (indiscriminately  taken  from  Mr.  Hill’s 
more  recent  experiments)  showed  every  conceivable  combination  of  the 
original  colors,  many  of  the  prints  being  colored  solely  with  reference  to  the 
exhibitions  of  contrasts,  combinations,  and  shades. 

Besides  these,  the  writer  saw  four  Hillotypes  from  life,  preserving  all  the 
colors  of  nature.  One  of  the  cameo  size  was  a fine  female  head,  with  the 
hair  in  Jenny  Lind  style,  and  the  other,  the  same  head  in  a green  silk  bonnet, 
the  most  minute  colors  in  the  dress  being  given  to  the  life.  These  two 
portraitures  were  exquisitely  natural  in  color,  and  the  subject  was  a fine 
looking  specimen  of  the  mountain  girl,  in  all  the  bloom  of  vigorous  youth. 
But  the  lack  of  knowledge  of  the  original  which  to  these  was  a drawback  to 
a full  appreciation,  as  well  as  that  of  a fine  portrait  of  an  elderly  woman, 
could  not  be  pleaded  as  to  the  fourth,  which  was  a Hillotype,  on  a larger 
plate,  of  the  artist’s  daughter,  a child  of  some  two  years  old. 

This  latter,  the  writer  regarded  as  an  ample  vindication  of  Mr.  Hill’s 
claims  in  their  widest  sense.  In  want  of  a subject  one  morning,  Mr.  H. 
requested  the  mother  to  bring  in  the  child.  A variegated  table-cover  was 
hastily  thrown  over  a trunk,  and  the  child,  taking  an  easy  recumbent 
position,  in  a few  seconds  was  depicted  upon  the  plate  with  all  the  force  of 
nature.  By  fortunate  accident  all  the  more  vivid  tints  of  red,  green,  and 
blue,  were  included  in  the  dress  and  accessories,  and  scanning  the  portrait 
beside  the  child,  left  the  writer  no  ground  for  skepticism  as  to  the  consum- 
mation of  the  discovery.  The  complexion,  the  very  peculiar  tint  of  the  hair, 
the  color  of  the  eyes,  nay,  the  faint  pink  of  the  finger  tips,  were  all  there, 
mirrored  in  all  the  freshness  of  breathing  life. 

The  writer  will  add,  that  the  uncovered  plates  were  put  in  his  hands  for 
the  most  rigid  examination,  by  the  full  light  of  an  unclouded  summer  day. 
And  one  which  had  not  been  burnished,  was  put  to  that  process  in  his  pre- 
sence, when  it  took,  in  an  instant,  the  rich  enamel-like  surface,  which  dis- 
tinctly marks  the  Hillotype  from  the  Daguerreotype.  The  fact  is  (as  we  saw 
from  experiment),  the  Hillotype  is  very  difficult  to  remove  from  the  plate  as 
compared  with  the  Daguerreotype,  nor  is  it  sensitive  to  the  effect  of 
atmosphere  like  the  latter. 

This  statement  is  sufficient,  we  presume,  so  far  as  the  evidence  of  a wit- 
ness can  establish  a fact  of  this  kind.  Other  corroborative  and  explanatory 


90 


HELIOCHROMY. 


statements  might  he  made,  hut  the  writer  has  no  idea  of  imperilling  Mr. 
Hill  s secret  in  the  most  remote  degree,  hy  stating  anything  beyond  the  line 
of  effects  to  which  he  could  testify  without  hesitation  on  any  score. 

The  writer  closes  this  statement  with  the  hope  that  Mr.  Hill  will  he  one 
of  the  exceptions  to  the  rule,  that  inventors  do  not  reap  the  reward  of  their 
genius.  He  has  met  the  most  discouraging  obstacles  in  his  labors,  and  has 
overcome  them  with  heroism.  That  he  can  pronounce  his  work  well  nigh 
accomplished,  and  that  it  will  soon  he  given  to  the  world,  the  writer  believes. 
And  it  ought  to  be  remembered,  to  the  praise  of  the  inventor  too,  that  he 
has  carried  on  all  his  operations  alone ; every  process  down  to  the  merest 
mechanical  operations,  having  been  accomplished  single-handed. 


I append  the  following,  because  it  will  show  the  opinion  of 
my  neighbors. 


From  the  Prattsville  Advocate,  Jan.  17, 1862. 

THE  HILLOTYPE. 

On  Tuesday  last,  we,  in  company  with  a friend,  availed  ourselves  of  the 
pleasure  of  visiting  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hill,  at  his  residence  in  Westkill,  in  this 
county,  for  the  double  purpose  of  seeing  his  specimens,  and  satisfying  our- 
selves whether  his  discovery  was  in  truth  such  as  would  stand  the  scrutinizing 
test  of  time,  or  whether  it  was  emphatically  a humbug — and,  reader,  here 
permit  us  to  say,  that  we  acknowledge  that  we  had  been  assured  by  good 
authority,  that  in  truth  his  discovery  was  all  that  he  claimed  it  to  be — but 
these  statements  fell  far  short  of  the  reality.  If  we  ever  had  any  misgivings 
on  the  subject,  they  have  for  ever  passed  from  our  mind ; for  what  we  saw 
with  our  own  eyes,  we  must  believe.  Of  Mr.  Hill,  all  who  have  the  plea- 
sure of  an  acquaintance  with  him,  will  agree  with  us  in  saying,  that  hum- 
buggery  forms  no  part  of  his  character — that  on  his  countenance  are  plainly 
seen  the  marks  of  ingenuousness — that  he  is  far  above  playing  the  contemptible 
game  of  catchpenny.  He  has  a mass  of  evidence  in  his  possession  which  will 
soon  be  given  to  the  world,  from  eminent  Daguerreian  artists  and  scientific 
men,  establishing  his  right  to  the  discovery — and  from  men  who  have  6pent 
years  and  years  in  attempting  to  find  out  the  grand  secret  whereby  he  can, 
in  a life-like  manner,  present  to  the  eye  of  the  astonished  beholder,  colors 
true  to  nature;  for  instance,  a blackberry  bush,  with  every  le.,f  fresh,  as  if 
now  grown  in  its  native  soil,  the  stalk,  the  blossom,  the  green  and  ripe  fruit, 
all  perfect  in  color — all  blended  as  harmoniously  as  the  peerless  art  of 
Nature  itself  reveals  them  to  our  eye.  We  hazard  nothing  in  saying  that  his 


CERTIFICATES. 


91 


discovery  will  be  the  crowning  effort  of  the  Daguerreon  Art,  and  his  fame 
is  destined  to  outlive  the  noisy  swarm  of  “ little  fry,”  who  now  pour  out 
their  anathemas  upon  him  for  accomplishing  that  which  their  genius  can 
never  attain,  much  less  excel.  While  their  names  and  acts  shall  be  sunk  in 
the  muddy  pool  of  oblivion,  his  will  be  classed  with  that  of  Franklin, 
Fulton,  and  other  benefactors  of  mankind. 

His  natural  pictures,  or  rather  his  copies  from  nature,  bear  a more  perfect 
resemblance  to  the  original,  than  anything  ever  yet  emanating  from  the  pencil 
of  the  most  accomplished  artist  This  is  also  emphatically  true  of  the  por- 
traits of  living  persons  taken  by  Mr.  Hill,  many  of  which  we  recognised. 
Every  lineament  of  the  face  was  clearly  defined ; there  was  a truthfulness 
and  beauty  in  them  which  the  most  world-renowned  artist  has  never  as  yet 
been  able  to  produce.  No  sane  person  will  attempt  to  controvert  the  position 
that  daguerreotypes  are  (or  have  been)  the  most  perfect  likenesses  it  is 
possible  to  obtain  of  the  “ human  face  divine,”  the  process  by  winch  they 
are  obtained  admitting  of  not  the  slightest  variation,  but  the  crowning  glory 
of  the  Hillotype  consists  in  the  truthfulness  of  feature  and  expression,  a soft- 
ness, a brilliancy  of  tone,  and  nicety  of  shading  hitherto  unparalleled. 
These  portraits  are  not  easily  defaced ; and  our  attempt  to  mar  their  beauty 
only  served  to  brighten  them,  and  to  more  clearly  portray  their  matchless 
elegance. 

We  are  not  surprised  that  there  are  skeptics  in  regard  to  this  matter — it  is 
matter  of  wonder  that  there  are  not  more — but  we  are  none  of  them.  Our 
eyes  have  6een,  and  we  cannot  do  otherwise  than  believe.  May  a kind  Provi- 
dence grant  him  health  and  strength  to  complete  (to  his  entire  satisfaction, 
not  ours,  for  we  confess  we  thought  them  perfect)  his  glorious  art. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  I could  present  at  least  five  hun- 
dred similar  statements.  I have  shown  my  results  to  more  than 
one  thousand  persons,  never  to  my  knowledge  without  exciting 
admiration.  For  years  my  house  has  been  almost  literally  over- 
run with  visitors  from  various  parts  of  the  world ; and  although 
I have  been  thereby  greatly  hindered,  their  words  of  cheer  as 
they  gazed  upon  my  pictures,  have  been  no  slight  incentive  to 
perseverance.  Among  the  vast  number  who  have  inspected  my 
results,  I have  never  known  one  case  of  dissatisfaction.  Those 
who  have  spent  much  time  in  my  house,  and  have  seen  for 
themselves  the  working  of  the  process,  have  continued  to  this 
day  my  warmest  friends. 


92 


HELIOCHROMY. 


It  would  be  exceedingly  gratifying  to  my  own  feelings  to 
enter  more  largely  into  this  subject ; but  I must  not  forget  that 
I am  writing  a “ Treatise  on  Heliochromy,”  and  that  I am  to 
“ stick  to  my  text.”  It  shall  be  my  aim  throughout  this  work 
to  justify  the  title  I have  given  it.  A proper  understanding  of  the 
subject,  as  well  as  justice  to  myself,  seemed  to  require  the  above 
rather  lengthy  argument  in  support  of  my  claim.  For  the  pre- 
sent I will  dismiss  M.  Niepce  de  St.  Victor,  promising  to  give  a 
full  and  fair  exposition  of  his  process  in  a future  chapter. 


SIR  JOUST  HERSCHEl’s  ANTHOTYPE. 


93 


CHAPTER  V. 


Various  Processes — Sir  John  Ilergchel’s  Anthotype — Robert  limit's  Pro- 
cesses— Ferrocyanide  paper — Bi. -Chromate  of  Potash — Hydriodated  Pa- 
per— Copying  a green  Leaf — M.  Edmund  Becquerel’s  process — M.  Niepce 
de  Saint  Victor’s  process — These  processes  fully  and  fairly  detailed. 


I. SIR  JOHN  HERSCHEL’S  ANTHOTYPE. 

The  interesting  facts  brought  out  by  this  great  man’s  experi- 
ments demand  a further  investigation.  A very  few  words,  how- 
ever, will  give  an  idea  of  his  processes.  He  operated  on  the 
colored  juices  of  flowers  and  grapes.  The  Corchorus  Japonica, 
the  Teti  Week  Stocks,  Papaver  Oricntale,  Viola  Odorata,  Red 
Poppy,  and  Senecio  Splendens,  were  the  principal  flowers  he 
employed.  “ Such  parts  of  these  flowers  as  possessed  a uniform 
tint,  were  crushed  to  a pulp  in  a marble  mortar,  either  alone,  or 
with  addition  of  alcohol,  and  the  juice  expressed  by  squeezing 
the  pulp  in  a clean  linen  or  cotton  cloth.  It  was  then  spread  on 
paper  and  gently  dried.  Under  a superimposed  engraving  these 
papers  were  exposed  to  the  light,  for  a period  ranging  from  half 
an  hour  to  one  month.”  There  is  a difficulty  in  respect  to  the 
alcohol,  since,  in  many  cases,  if  it  is  not  employed  the  color  of 
the  juice  is  irrecoverably  destroyed,  and  the  employment  of  it 
retards  the  action  of  the  light.  The  alcohol  effects  a temporary 
destruction  of  the  color,  in  many  cases,  but  the  color  re-appears 
on  drying  the  paper. 

The  above  brief  account  of  Herschel’s  method  of  operating 
will  enable  any  ingenious  person  to  pursue  this  line  of  research. 
But,  although  Sir  John  did  obtain  some  tintings  of  color  in  the 


94 


HBLIOOHEXDMT. 


nse  of  these  vegetable  juices,  I have  described  other  methods  of 
using  them  which  give  far  better  results. 

II. SIR  ROBERT  HUNT’S  PROCESSES. 

Process  No.  1.  Wash  highly  glafed  paper  with  a solution  of 
nitrate  of  silver  of  the  strength  of  one  drachm  of  the  salt  to  one 
oz.  water.  Dry  quickly,  and  repeat  the  wash.  Dry  as  before, 
and  place  the  paper  for  a minute  in  a solution  of  iodide  of  pot- 
ash— 1 drachm  to  3 oz.  water.  Wash  gently  with  water.  To  sen- 
sitize, wash  the  paper  with  a solution  of  ferrocyanate  of  pot- 
ash— 1 drachm  to  3 oz.  water.  Expose  wet. 

On  such  paper  Mr.  Hunt  obtained,  once,  a tolerably  good  co- 
lored image  of  the  solar  spectrum. 

Process  No.  2.  A tolerably  strong  solution  of  bi-chromate  of 
potash  is  the  first  wash  for  the  paper.  Dry  and  wash  with  a 
very  weak  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver.  Exposed  under  colored 
glasses  for  two  days,  it  became  tinted  a blue,  a green,  and  a 
red. 

Process  No.  3.  Soak  the  paper  a few  minutes  in  a muriated 
wash — say  common  salt  (muriate  of  soda)  and  dry.  Wash  this 
with  a solution  of  nitrate  of  silver — say  60  grains  to  1 oz.  water, 
and  instantly  expose  to  sunshine,  until  it  darkens  as  much  as  it 
will.  Repeat  the  wash,  and  expose  to  the  sun  until  it  comes  to 
a fine  chocolate  brown.  A hydriodate  of  potash,  soda,  ammonia, 
manganese,  or  baryta — say  30  grains  to  1 oz.  water — is  now 
washed  over  the  darkened  paper.  The  paper  is  to  be  used  wet. 
With  colored  fluids  superimposed  Mr.  Hunt  obtained  the  com- 
plementary colors  of  violet,  blue,  green,  yellow,  and  red. 

Process  No.  4.  Place  a green  leaf  on  a polished  Daguerreo- 
type  plate,  and  hold  it  down  by  a piece  of  glass.  Pour  upon  it, 
so  that  the  plate  may  be  covered,  a solution  of  the  hydriodate  of 


VARIOUS  PROCESSES. 


95 


potash,  containing  a little  free  iodine  : then  expose  the  whole  to 
sunshine.  In  about  half  an  hour  a copy  is  obtained.  This 
results  from  the  action  of  the  yellow  rays  producing  their  com- 
plementary color — green  ; which  is  evident  from  the  solution 
being  yellow,  and  not,  therefore,  permitting  the  passage  of  the 
green  rays. 


III. — M.  EDMUND  BECQUEREL’S  PROCESS. 

Terminate  the  copper  pole  of  a Daniels  battery  with  a plate 
of  platina.  To  the  terminating  wire  of  the  zinc  pole  attach  a 
plate  of  silver,  or  daguerreotype  plate,  and  immerse  both  in  a 
jar  of  muriatic  acid,  diluted  one  half  with  water.  When  the 
plate  arrives  at  a violet  color,  the  second  time  rinse  with  water 
and  dry.  This  process  gives  by  a very  prolonged  exposure 
some  colors,  but  fails  to  produce  more  than  one  or  two  at  once, 
and  these  not  brilliant,  Besides,  they  fade  even  in  diffuse  light. 


IV. M.  NIEPCE  DE  SAINT  VICTOR’S  PROCESS. 

I give  this  process  entire,  for  several  reasons,  the  most  impor- 
tant of  which  is  that  my  reader  may  compare  it  with  my  diary, 
given  in  a subsequent  chapter,  in  which  it  will  be  seen  that  long 
before  M.  Niepce’s  discovery,  I used  the  chlorides,  and  obtained 
colors,  but  gave  up  the  process  as  impracticable  and  insuffi- 
cient ; and  yet,  that  these  very  experiments  led  on  to  the  disco- 
very of  many  other  processes,  and  to  the  process  upon  which  I 
finally  settled,  and  which  I announced  to  the  world. 

The  memoir  of  M.  Niepce,  before  the  French  Academy,  is 
entitled,  “ The  relation  existing  between  the  colors  of  certain 
colored  flames,  with  the  Ileliograpliic  images  colored  by  light.” 

When  a plate  of  silver  is  plunged  into  a solution  of  sulphate 
of  copper  and  chloride  of  sodium  at  the  same  time  that  it  is  ren- 
dered electro-positive  by  means  of  the  voltaic  battery,  the  chloride 
formed  becomes  susceptible  of  coloration,  when,  having  been 


96 


HELIOCHROMY. 


withdrawn  from  the  bath,  it  receives  the  influence  of  light. 
This  was  the  discovery  of  Becquerel.  M.  Niepce  had  been  led 
to  think  that  a relation  existed  between  the  color  communicated 
by  a body  to  a flame,  and  the  color  developed  upon  a plate  of 
silver,  which  should  have  been  chloridated  with  the  body  which 
colors  this  flame.  The  bath  in  which  the  plate  of  silver  was 
plunged,  was  formed  of  water  saturated  with  chlorine,  to  which 
was  added  a chloride  possessing  the  property  of  coloring  flame. 

It  is  well  known  that  strontia  gives  a purple  color  to  flames 
in  genera],  and  to  that  of  alcohol  in  particular.  If  we  prepare 
a plate  of  silver  and  pass  it  into  water  saturated  with  chlorine,  to 
which-  is  added  some  chloride  of  strontia,  and  when  thus  pre- 
pared we  place  it  upon  a colored  design,  of  red  and  other  colors, 
and  then  expose  it  to  the  sunshine,  after  six  or  seven  min- 
utes we  shall  perceive  that  the  colors  of  the  image  are  repro- 
duced upon  the  plate,  but  the  reds  much  more  decidedly  thau 
the  others.  When  we  would  produce  successfully  the  other  rays 
of  the  solar  spectrum,  we  operate  in  the  same  manner  we  have 
indicated  for  the  red  ray,  employing  for  the  orange  the  chloride 
of  calcium,  or  that  of  uranium  for  the  yellow,  or  hypochlorite  of 
soda,  or  the  chloride  of  sodium  and  potassium.  If  we  plunge  a 
plate  of  silver  in  the  chlorine  liquid,  or  if  we  expose  the  plate  to 
the  vapor,  we  obtain  all  the  colors  by  the  light,  but  the  yellow 
only  with  any  degree  of  veracity.  Very  fine  yellows  have  been 
obtained  with  a bath  composed  of  water  slightly  acidulated  with 
hydrochloric  acid  with  a salt  of  copper.  The  green  rays  are 
obtained  with  boracic  acid,  or  the  chloride  of  nickel ; also  with 
all  the  salts  of  copper.  The  blue  rays  are  obtained  with  the 
double  chloride  of  copper  and  ammonia.  Indigo  rays  are 
obtained  with  the  same.  The  violet  rays  are  obtained  with  the 
chloride  of  strontia  and  the  sulphate  of  copper. 

All  the  substances  which  give  colored  flames,  give  also  colored 
images  by  the  light.  If  we  take  any  of  the  substances  which  do 
not  give  color  to  the  flame,  we  do  not  obtain  colored  images  by 
the  light ; we  produce  upon  the  plate  a negative  image,  composed 


VARIOUS  PROCESSES. 


97 


merely  of  black  and  white,  as  in  the  ordinary  photographs. 
Those  substances  which  give  white  flames,  as  the  chlorides  of 
antimony,  lead,  and  zinc,  yield  no  color  by  luminous  action.  All 
the  colors  of  the  picture  have  been  produced  by  preparing  a bath 
composed  of  the  deuto-chloride  of  copper ; this  salt  thrown  into 
burning  alcohol  produces  a variegated  flame,  according  to  the 
intensity  of  the  fire ; and  it  is  nearly  the  same  with  all  the  salts 
of  copper  mixed  with  chlorine.  If  . we  put  a salt  of  copper  in 
chlorine  liquid,  we  obtain  a very  sensitive  surface  by  a single 
immersion  ; but  the  result  of  this  mixture  is  seldom  good.  I 
prefer  taking  the  deuto-chloride  of  copper,  to  which  I add  three 
or  four  pounds  of  water:  this  bath  gives  good  results.  A mix- 
ture of  equal  parts  of  chloride  of  copper  and  chloride  of  iron,  with 
three  or  four  parts  of  water,  is,  however,  the  best.  The  chloride 
of  iron  has,  like  that  of  copper,  the  property  of  being  impressed 
on  the  plate  of  silver,  and  of  producing  many  colors ; but  they 
are  infinitely  more  feeble,  and  the  yellow  always  predominates; 
this  agrees  with  the  yellow  color  produced  in  flame  by  chloride 
of  iron.  If  we  form  a bath  composed  of  all  the  substances  which 
separately  give  a dominant  color,  we  obtain  very  lively  colors ; 
but  the  great  difficulty  is  the  mixing  in  proper  proportions,  for  it 
happens,  nearly  always,  that  some  colors  are  found  excluded  by 
others.  By  care,  however,  we  ought  to  arrive  at  the  reproduc- 
tion of  all  the  colors.  There  exist  many  difficulties,  more  indeed 
than  in  any  of  the  ordinary  processes  of  photography.  We  can- 
not always  depend  upon  obtaining  the  same  results  with  the 
same  materials,  owing  principally  to  the  difficulty  of  preserving 
the  solution  at  a uniform  strength.  Liquid  chlorine  is  necessary  ; 
the  application  of  dry  chlorine  will  not  produce  the  same  result. 
The  action  of  heat  upon  these  prepared  plates  is,  in  some  respects, 
analogous  to  the  effects  of  light.  By  warming  a plate  over  a 
spirit-lamp,  we  produce  successively  the  following  tints : brown 
red,  a ceri«e  red,  scarlet,  and  red  having  a whitish  tint.  Nume- 
rous experiments  have  been  made  by  M.  Niepce  to  produce  the 
colors  upon  the  salts  of  silver  and  copper  spread  on  paper,  but 

7 


98 


HELIOCHROMY  „ 


hitherto  without  success ; a metallic  plate  of  silver—the  plated 
copper  answers— must  be  employed.  Iodine  and  bromine,  and 
their  salts,  have  been  tried,  but  they  will  not  produce  a surface 
capable  of  developing  colors.  Chlorine,  in  the  state  of  chlorates 
or  chlorides,  is  the  only  substance  which  possesses  the  property 
of  being  colored  by  light,  when  chemically  combined  with 
metallic  silver. 

“ The  plate  being  very  highly  polished,  which  is  best  effected  by 
Tripoli  powder  and  ammonia,  is  connected  with  the  battery,  and 
then  plunged  into  the  bath,  and  kept  there  for  some  minutes ; it 
is  then  taken  from  the  bath,  washed  in  a large  quantity  of  water, 
and  dried  over  a spirit-lamp.  The  surface  thus  produced  is  a 
dull  neutral  tint,  often  almost  black,  and,  upon  exposing  it  to  the 
light,  the  colors  are  produced  by  removing  the  blackness ; the 
surface  is,  in  fact,  eaten  out  in  colors.  The  sensibility  of  the  plate 
appears  to  be  increased  by  the  action  of  heat,  and  when  brought 
by  the  spirit-lamp  to  the  cerise  red  color,  it  is  in  i:s  most  sensi- 
tive state.  At  present,  however,  the  plate  cannot  be  rendered 
very  sensitive,  two  or  three  hours  being  required  to  produce  a 
decided  effect  in  the  camera-obscura.  It  is,  however,  already 
found  that  the  fluoride  of  sodium  will  very  much  accelerate  the 
operation. 

“ The  fixation  of  the  colored  image  is,  however,  still  a point  of 
considerable  difficulty,  and,  although  a certain  degree  of  perma- 
nence has  been  recovered,  the  colors  fade  out  by  exposure,  and 
eventually  pass  away.  A kind  of  lacquer  appears  to  have  been 
applied  to  the  plates  we  have  seen,  and  ordinary  diffused  light 
does  not  seem  to  produce  much  change  upon  them.” — London 
Athenceum. 

Thus  I have  given  all  the  processes  of  which  we  have  any  pub- 
lished account ; and  I have  done  it  the  more  cheerfully,  because 
it  places  my  discovery  in  its  true  light,  and  because  a treatise 
like  this  would  be  incomplete  without  it.  The  reader  may 
judge  how  far  M.  Niepce  is  entitled  to  credit  T-r  originality. 
After  all  the  fuss  that  has  been  made  about  his  great  discovery, 


VARIOUS  PROCESSES. 


99 


I,  for  one,  can  see  but  one  original  idea  in  it,  namely,  tlie  ima- 
ginary relation  between  the  action  of  the  colored  rays  and  the 
colors  of  certain  flames.  The  idea  itself  of  cliloridizing  a silver 
plate  he  borrowed  from  Becquerel.  He  owns  this  in  his 
“ Memoir.”  What  then  has  he  originated  ? Here  is  the  in- 
disputable answer  : — he  has  originated  the  use  of  various  chlo- 
rides, for  doing  what  Becquerel  did  with  a few  chlorides.  I defy 
any  man  of  sense  to  make  any  more  than  this  out  of  his  famous 
‘‘Memoir.”  Yet  this  document  has  been  paraded  before  the 
public  in  the  natural  colors  which  usually  embellish  envy  and 
spite,  with  a view  to  depreciate  an  American  invention.  This 
has  been  done  by  men  who  became  my  enemies  because  I would 
not  become  their  bosom  friend,  and  let  them  have  a bite  at  the 
“ loaves  and  fishes.”  I could  easily  show  up  this  account  in 
items  ; but  it  would  be  too  personal  a thing  for  a work  like  this  ; 
and,  what  is  more,  the  persons  or  creatures  who  have  instigated 
and  kept  alive  the  flame  of  opposition  against  me,  are  not  worthy 
of  so  much  notice,  and  I prefer  to  leave  them  to  sink  into  that 
“ obscurity”  they  have  wished  for  me. 


100 


HELIOCHROMY. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CHEMISTRY  OF  HELIOCHROMY. 

Natural  Colorific  Agents. — Esculent  Vegetables. — Carrots — Beets — Onions 
— Radishes — Squash — Pumpkin — Watermelon — Tomatoes — Lettuce — Cab- 
bage— Red  Peppers— Asparagus — Rhubarb — Sage.  Fruits. — Peach— Cherry 
— Apple — Strawberry — Blackberry — Raspberry — Sumac  Bobs — Currants 
— Grapes — Bittersweet — -Sunflower  Seeds — Pokeberries — Elderberries — 
Whortleberries — Squawberries.  Flowers — Red  Rose — Peony — Poppy — Dah- 
lia— Marigold — Violet — Tiger  Lily — Tulips — Peach  Blows — Sky  Rocket 
— Lilac — Dandelions — Daisies — St.  John’s  Wort.  Grasses  and  Leaves. — 
Red-top  Clover — Ribbon  Grass — Leaves  of  Willow — Sugar  Maple — Peach 
— Butternut. 

Artificial  Colorific  Agents. — The  Metals. — Gold — Silver — Copper — Platina 
— Iron— Zinc — Lead — Antimony — Arsenic — -Osmium — Iridium — Cobalt  — 

: Selenium — Mercury — Tin — Bismuth — Nickel  — Potassium — Sodium — Alu- 
minum— Their  Alloys.  The  Salts  of  Metals. — Nitrate  , Chloride,  Bromide, 
Iodide,  Fluoride,  Ammoniuret,  Fulminate,  Citrate,  Silvate,  Cyanide,  Hy- 
posulphite, Phosphate,  Carbonate,  Borate,  Chromate,  and  Alumina  of  Silver 
— Chlorides  of  Gold,  Copper,  Zinc,  Lead,  Iridium,  Cobalt,  &c. — Iodide  and 
Bromide  of  Gold,  Silver,  Lead,  &c. 

1 The  Acids. — Nitric,  Sulphuric,  Sulphurous,  Hydrochloric,  Hydrofluoric, 
Citrie,  Iodic,  Bromic,  Tartaric,  Uric,  Gallic,  Pyro-Gallic,  Nitrous,  Acetic, 
&c. 

The  Alkalies. — Soda,  Baryta,  Lime,  and  Strontia,  and  their  combinations. 
The  Gases  and  Vafors. — Chlorine,  Hydrogen,  Selenium,  Phosphorous  Vapor, 
Phosphuretted  Hydrogen,  Oxygen,  Oxyde,  Nitrous  Oxyde,  Hyponitric 
Acid  Vapor. 

In  this  chapter  I shall  treat,  first,  of  Natural  Colorific  Agents  ; 
viz.,  Esculent  Vegetables,  Fruits,  Flowers,  Leaves  and  Grasses. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact,  that  many  of  the  esculent  vegetables 
are  rich  in  heliochromic  properties.  The  juices  of  many  of  them 
applied  to  paper,  give,  on  exposure  to  light,  some  very  curious 
results.  Most  of  them  contain  coloring  principles,  which  are 


NATURAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


101 


acted  upon  in  a powerful  and  singular  manner  by  the  solar 
spectrum.  It  is  sufficient,  in  most  cases,  to  press  out  the  juice 
of  the  more  colored  parts,  as  the  skin  of  the  radish,  the  pulp  of 
the  tomato  and  watermelon,  &c.  If  the  liquid  is  to  be  pre- 
served a length  of  time,  it  should  be  mixed  with  a little  alcohol, 
and  to  every  four  ounces  of  the  same  you  may  add  one  drop  of 
creosote.  This  will  effectually  preserve  the  liquid,  and  not 
injure,  but  rather  exalt  its  lieliochromic  properties,  by  quickening 
the  action  of  light  upon  it.  This  fact  led  me,  as  will  be  seen 
in  the  next  chapter,  to  carbonize  these  juices,  and  also  those  of 
flowers  and  the  grasses,  by  which  means  I procured  the  full  ex- 
tent of  the  ray  action  almost  instantaneously.  An  alcoholic 
tincture  of  red  peppers,  properly  carbonized,  and  spread  upon 
paper,  will  give  a picture  in  colors  in  one  second.  The  impres- 
sion is  latent,  and  is  promptly  developed  by  immersion  in  warm 
ammonio-nitratc  of  silver,  slightly  perfumed  with  the  essence  of 
lavender,  cassia,  and  cloves.  Indeed,  these  experiments  may  be 
varied  almost  infinitely.  For  example,  these  vegetables  contain 
glucose,  or  grape  sugar.  This,  it  is  known,  will  reduce  several 
salts  to  their  metallic  state.  In  the  course  of  this  reduction,  the 
colorific  principle  of  the  particular  vegetable  employed  may  bo 
supposed  to  modify  the  action  so  as  to  produce  colors.  So  at 
least  it  turns  out  on  actual  experiment.  Now,  governed  by  this, 
in  one  sense  assumed  hypothesis,  I would  proceed  in  a given  case 
as  follows  : 

I would  thoroughly  soak  a piece  of  paper  with  the  juice  of  the 
vegetable,  whose  behavior,  under  light,  comported  with  the 
behavior,  under  light,  of  the  chemical  agents  I wished  to  com- 
bine with  the  vegetable  constituents.  Thus,  the  juice  of  the 
common  carrot  is  bleached  by  light,  and  gives  a yellow  picture, 
on  a white  ground  ; the  juice  of  strawberries  is  also  bleached, 
and  gives  a red  picture,  on  a white  ground ; the  juice  of  violets 
is  also  bleached,  and  gives  a blue  picture  on  a white  ground. 
Very  good;  now  unite  this  combination  with  Mr.  Hunt’s  liydri- 
odate  process,  detailed  in  the  preceding  chapter,  using  the  most 


102 


HELIOCHROMY. 


colorific  salt — hydriodate  of  baryta — and  you  have  two  bleach- 
ing processes  united  in  one,  and  the  result  will  be  natural 
colors — depending,  of  course,  for  their  strength  and  truthfulness 
on  the  degree  of  impregnation  of  your  paper,  and  on  certain 
niceties  of  manipulation.  The  operation  is  on  the  descending 
chromatic  scale,  and  the  degree  of  color  obtained  will  never  sur- 
pass the  degree  of  impregnation.  By  alternately  dipping  and 
drying  the  paper  a great  number  of  times,  your  final  result  will 
be  quite  a strong  picture.  In  the  same  manner,  indicated  above, 
you  may  unite  these  juices,  whether  of  roots,  fruit,  flowers  or 
grasses,  with  a great  number  of  the  metallic  salts. 

The  above  is  written  to  give  a general  idea  of  the  colorific 
properties  of  these  vegetables,  and  of  the  manner  of  using  them. 
Under  the  head  of  “Experiments”  I have  detailed  a great  num- 
ber of  processes  for  their  use.  I shall  now  dwell  more  at  length 
on  the  character  of  these  agents,  with  a special  view  to  their 
chemical  and  heliochroinic  properties. 

I ESCULENT  VEGETABLES,  FRUITS,  FLOWERS,  AND  GRASSES, 

CHEMICALLY  CONSIDERED. 

The  inquiry  into  the  cause  of  vegetable  colors  is  most  certainly 
a chemical  one.  The  laws  of  chemistry  hold  sway  over  the 
molecular  form  of  these  coloring  principles,  governing  this  form, 
or  structure,  in  an  infinite  variety  of  methods.  These  colors,  in 
other  words,  have  a definite  chemical  constitution.  The  well 
known  law  of  chemistry,  termed  the  law  of  definite  propor- 
tions : — that  is,  that  every  compound  body  has  a particular  num- 
ber of  elements,  and  a definite  number  of  each  element — holds 
good  in  the  case  of  vegetable  colors.  The  true  method  of  study- 
ing the  nature  and  cause  of  vegetable  colors,  is  by  the  ultimate 
analysis  of  vegetables  themselves,  in  all  the  stages  of  their  exist- 
ence. Until  this  method  was  adopted,  chemists  could  only  con- 
jecture and  hypothecate.  This  led  to  many  whimsical  theories. 
One  was,  that  the  iron  contained  in  vegetables  was  the  cause  of 


NATURAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


103 


their  color;  but  since  the  doctrines  of  direct  analysis  have 
obtained,  it  has  been  demonstrated  that  the  quantity  of  iron  in 
any  vegetable  is  totally  inadequate  to  produce  the  splendid  colors 
which  vegetation  assumes. 

Now,  the  principal  elements  of  vegetable  substances  are  oxy- 
gen, hydrogen,  carbon,  and  a trace  of  nitrogen.  The  latter, 
according  to  Liebig,  the  great  agricultural  chemist,  is  always 
present,  though  in  very  minute  quantity.  There  is  also  a vari- 
ety of  earthy  substances  in  vegetables,  such  as  lime,  iron,  mag- 
nesia, soda,  potash,  etc.;  but  all  these  never  exist  in  one  vege- 
table. The  three  elements,  oxygen,  hydrogen,  and  carbon,  form 
from  95  to  99  per  cent,  of  the  entire  vegetable.  The  great 
mass  of  all  vegetables  is  composed  of  woody  fibre,  gum,  starchy 
and  sugar.  The  composition  of  these  is  as  follows : 


Carbon. 

Oxygen. 

IIydeogkn. 

Woody  fibre, 

. . 15 

10 

10 

Gum,  . . . 

. . . 12 

11 

11 

Starch,  . . 

. . . 12 

10 

10 

Sugar,  . . 

. . . 12 

11 

11 

Observe,  in  the  above  analysis,  that  the  oxygen  and  hydrogen 
are  in  the  6ame  proportion  as  that  in  which  they  unite  to  form 
water.  As  a general  rule,  you  will  find  all  saccharine  and 
mucilaginous  vegetables  will  bear  out  the  same  proportions. 
But  when  you  find  a vegetable  with  the  proportion  of  carbon 
below  the  above  standard,  it  is  oily  or  resinous.  The  subjoined 
analysis  of  vegetable  substances  shows  this  to  be  the  case: — 


Carbon. 

Hydrogen. 

Oxygen. 

Oil  of  Turpentine 

. . 10 

8 

0 

Oil  of  Potatoes,  . 

. . 5 

6 

1 

Oil  of  Cloves,  . , 

. . 23 

14 

5 

Gamboge,  . . . 

. 20 

14 

5 

Caoutchouc,  . . 

. . 4 

4 

0 

Beeswax,  . . . , 

, . 37 

39 

2 

Again,  when  the  hydrogen  is  deficient,  the  vegetable  generally 


10  1 


HELIOCHROMY. 


has  an  acid  character.  Green  fruit  is  eminently  of  this  charac- 
ter— hence  its  deleterious  effects  when  eaten.  As  the  fruit  ripens 
it  assimilates  more  hydrogen,  and  becomes  more  saccharine. 
The  following  table  will  show  the  low  rate  of  hydrogen  in  the 


principal  vegetable  acids  : — 
Carbon. 

Acetic  Acid,  ....  4 

...  1 

Oxygen. 

3 

Hydrogen. 

3 

Citric  Acid,  . 

. . . 4 

4 

2 

Tartaric  Acid, 

. . . 4 

5 

2 

Gallic  Acid,  . 

. . . n 

5 

3 

Tannic  Acid, 

. . . 18 

12 

8 

In  analyzing  a vegetable  we  operate  on  the  whole  mass — its 
fibre,  gum,  starch,  sugar,  and  coloring  matter.  So  in  the 
employment  of  its  coloring  matter  for  heliochromic  purposes  we 
cannot  insulate  it ; that  is,  we  cannot  entirely  detach  it  from  its 
mixture  with  the  organic  constituents  of  the  vegetable.  Hence 
you  will  see  the  utility  of  the  above  tables.  If,  for  example,  you 
wish  to  employ  the  juice  of  the  peel  of  peaches,  or  apples,  or 
strawberries,  you  should  bear  in  mind  that  they  contain  citric 
acid,  which  has  a low  equivalent  of  hydrogen ; but  they  also 
contain  sugar,  with  its  high  equivalent  of  hydrogen ; and  both  of 
these  substances  have  a large  amount  of  carbon.  Therefore,  in 
operating  with  them  you  may  safely  employ  oxydizing  agents, 
but  should  guard  against  the  too  free  use  of  carbon  and 
hydrogen. 

The  above  are  general  principles  for  the  guidance  of  the  ama- 
teur. They  should  be  employed  as  we  would  use  an  arithmetical 
table ; and  by  constantly  bearing  them  in  mind  we  will  save 
ourselves  many  useless  experiments,  and  a world  of  unnecessary 
trouble.  I now  pass  to  the  consideration  of 

2.  The  Heliochromic  relations  of  these  Agents. 

In  Gilroy’s  “ Treatise  on  Dyeing  and  Calico  Printing,”  occurs 
a passage  so  much  to  the  point  in  this  place  that  I extract  a 
great  portion  of  it.  This  able  writer  comes  so  near  to  my  own 
views,  that  I feel  a special  gratification  in  borrowing  his  language. 


NATURAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


105 


“ Speaking  of  vegetable  green,  Bertkollet  says,  ‘ the  green  of 
plants  is  undoubtedly  produced  by  a homogeneous  substance,  in 
the  same  way  as  the  greater  number  of  hues  which  exist  in 
nature.  This  color  owes,  then,  its  origin  sometimes  to  simple 
rays,  and  sometimes  to  the  union  of  different  rays  ; and  some 
other  colors  are  in  the  same  predicament.  Were  the  green  of 
plants  due  to  two  substances,  one  of  which  is  yellow  and  the 
other  blue,  it  would  be  extraordinary  if  we  could  not  separate 
them,  or  at  least  change  their  proportions  by  some  solvent.’ 
The  idea  of  Berthollet,  that  the  green  of  plants  is  a distinct  sub- 
stance, existing  in  the  plant,  has  been  since  verified.  It  is 
obtained  by  bruising  green  leaves  into  a pulp  with  water,  press- 
ing out  all  the  liquid,  and  boiling  the  dry  pulp  in  alcohol ; when  the 
alcohol  is  evaporated,  there  remains  a deep  green  matter,  which 
by  digesting  in  water,  dissolves,  and  frees  it  from  a little  brown 
coloring  matter  with  which  it  was  mixed.  This  substance  has 
been  named  chlorophyl.  The  formation  of  chloropliyl  seems  to 
depend  entirely  upon  the  action  of  the  6olar  rays.  It  is  known 
that  the  function  of  the  leaves  and  other  green  parts  of  plants  is 
to  absorb  carbonic  acid,  and  with  the  aid  of  light  and  moisture  to 
appropriate  its  carbon.  These  processes  are  continually  in  opera- 
tion : they  commence  with  the  formation  of  the  leaves,  and  do 
not  cease  with  their  perfect  development.  But  when  light  is 
absent,  or,  during  the  night,  the  decomposition  of  carbonic  acid 
does  not  proceed  ; nay,  carbonic  acid  is  emitted,  and  oxygen  gas 
absorbed  ; it  is  evident  then  that  a plant  kept  always  excluded 
from  the  light  must  have  a diffcience  in  its  composition.  No 
one  can  have  failed  to  observe  the  difference  between  vege- 
tables thriving  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  light,  and  those  which 
grow  in  obscure  situations,  or  which  are  entirely  deprived  of 
its  agency ; the  former  are  of  brilliant  tints,  the  latter  dingy  and 
white. 

“ From  these  facts  we  see  that  the  green  color  of  vegetables  is 
owing  to  a peculiar  approximate  element  existing  in  the  vegeta- 
ble, not  invariably,  nor  altogether  essential  to  the  plant,  but 


106 


HELIOCHROMY. 


depending  upon  circumstances  ; these  circumstances  being  at  the 
same  time  the  best  for  the  health  and  existence  of  the  plant. 
This  color  differs  from  the  other  colors  of  vegetables  in  the  time 
of  its  appearing.  Flowers  of  plants  do  not  appear  till  the  plant 
has  reached  a certain  state  of  maturity  ; but  whenever  a plant 
rises  above  the  soil,  it  immediately  begins  to  assume  the  green 
hue,  and  this  hue  is  continued  till  the  object  of  the  leaves  is  com- 
pleted. When  a chemical  change  takes  place,  the  green  passes 
away,  and  another  color,  reddish-yellow,  takes  its  place.  These 
changes  are  effected  in  different  degrees,  and  in  different  lengths 
of  time,  just  according  as  the  leaves  have  the  property  of  absorb- 
ing oxygen  gas.  Those  leaves  which  continue  longest  green 
absorb  oxygen  slowest.  The  leaves  of  the  holly  will  only  absorb 
a small  fraction  of  oxygen,  in  the  same  time  that  the  leaves  of 
the  poplar  and  beech  will  absorb  eight  or  nine  times  their  bulk. 
These  last  are  remarkable  for  the  rapidity  and  ease  with  which 
the  color  of  their  leaves  changes.  That  leaves  do  absorb  oxygen 
gas  when  they  change  color  at  antumn,  and  that  it  is  owing  to 
the  absorption  of  this  gas,  may  be  verified  by  placing  some  green 
leaves  of  the  poplar,  the  beech,  and  the  holly,  under  the  receiver 
of  an  air-pump,  and  drying  them  thoroughly,  keeping  them  ex- 
cluded from  light ; when  taken  out,  wet  them  with  water, 
and  place  them  immediately  under  a glass  globe,  full  of  oxygen 
gas,  they  will  change  color ; and  it  will  be  found  that  each  will 
change  color  just  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  oxygen  it  ab- 
sorbs. The  consequence  of  this  absorption  is  the  formation  of  an 
acid.  This  acid  changes  the  chlorophyllite,  or  green  principle, 
from  green  to  yellow,  and  then  to  a reddish  hue.  If  we  treat 
green  leaves  with  an  acid,  the  same  changes  of  color  take  place, 
and  if  we  macerate  a red  leaf  in  potash  it  becomes  green. 

“ The  various  and  beautiful  colors  of  flowers  are  produced  by 
a somewhat  different  process  from  that  of  the  green  of  the  leaves, 
in  so  far  as  they  do  not  appear  until  the  plant  has  attainel  a certain 
state  of  maturity.  ‘ The  leaves  of  the  plant  being  fully  develop- 
ed, they  take  in  more  nourishment  from  the  atmosphere  than 


NATURAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


107 


what  is  necessary  for  the  existence  of  the  plant.  This  extra 
nourishment  takes  a new  direction  ; a peculiar  transformation 
takes  place;  new  compounds  are  formed,  which  furnish  consti- 
tuents of  the  blossoms,  fruit,  and  seed.’  * 

“ It  is  very  probable  that  all  the  colors  of  flowers  depend  upon 
only  a few  approximate  elements  formed  in  the  vegetable,  in  the 
manner  already  described,  and  that  their  various  hues  are  the 
consequence  of  the  presence  of  acids  affecting  more  or  less  this 
coloring  substance.  This  is  the  most  probable  hypothesis  that 
has  been  formed,  and  with  which  we  must  rest  satisfied  till  more 
accurate  experiments  verify  its  truth,  or  give  us  a better.  The 
following  summary  of  experiments  will  give  some  idea  of  the 
views  held  upon  this  subject : — ‘ The  expressed  juice  of  most 
red  flowers  is  blue ; hence  it  is  probable  that  the  coloring  matter 
in  the  flower  is  reddened  by  an  acid,  which  makes  its  escape  when 
the  juice  is  exposed  to  the  air.  The  violet  is  well  known  to  be 
colored  by  a blue  matter,  which  acids  change  to  red  ; and  alkalies 
and  their  carbonates,  first  to  green,  and  then  to  yellow.  The 
coloring  matter  of  the  violet  exists  in  the  petals  of  red  clover,  the 
red  tips  of  the  common  daisy  of  the  field,  of  the  blue  hyacinth, 
the  hollyhock,  lavender,  in  the  inner  leaves  of  the  artichoke,  and 
numerous  other  flowers.  The  same  substance  made  red  by  an 
acid,  colors  the  skins  of  several  kinds  of  plums ; probably,  also, 
gives  the  red  color  to  the  petals  of  the  scarlet  geranium,  and  of 
the  pomegranate  tree.  The  leaves  of  the  red  cabbage,  and  the 
rind  of  the  long  radish,  are  also  colored  by  this  principle.  It  is 
remarkable  that  these,  on  being  merely  bruised,  become  blue, 
and  give  a blue  infusion  with  water.  It  is  probable  that  the  red- 
dening acid  in  these  cases  is  the  carbonic,  which,  on  the  rupture 
of  the  vessel  which  incloses  it  (being  a gas),  escapes  into  the 
atmosphere.  If  the  petals  of  the  red  rose  be  triturated  with  a 
little  water  and  chalk,  a blue  liquid  is  obtained.  Alkalies  render 
this  blue  liquid  green,  and  acids  restore  its  red  color.’  ” 


Liebig’s  Agricultural  Chemistry. 


108 


HELIOCHROMY. 


The  identity  of  the  coloring  principle  of  flowers,  with  that  of 
radish  and  red  cabbage,  referred  to  by  Mr.  Gilroy,  I can  verify 
from  my  experiments.  The  juice  of  flowers,  and  that  of  the 
cabbage  and  radish,  have  always  comported  alike,  with  similar 
treatment,  under  the  influence  of  the  colored  rays  of  light.  Car- 
rots, beets,  onions,  squashes,  pumpkins,  watermelons,  tomatoes, 
lettuce,  asparagus,  rhubarb,  and  sage,  act  differently,  in  union 
with  re-agents ; though  I have  no  doubt  that,  in  most  respects, 
all  the  various  colors,  whether  in  vegetable  or  flower,  depend 
upon  a very  similar  origin,  and  are  variegated  by  similar  causes. 

Our  knowledge  of  this  intricate  subject  is  limited,  of  course; 
but  I take  great  pleasure  in  recording  my  own  mite  of  informa- 
tion. I have  found,  from  experiment,  that  the  blue  matter  which 
colors  the  violet  is  changed  to  red  by  acids,  and  first  to  green, 
and  then  to  yellow  by  alkalies.  The  green  at  first  formed  re- 
sults from  the  mixture  of  blue  and  yellow.  Red  rose  leaves, 
when  triturated  with  a little  chalk  and  water,  yield  a blue  liquor, 
which  is  rendered  green  by  alkalies,  and  restored  to  red  by  acids. 
This  is  true,  also,  of  most  of  the  red  flowers,  such  as  the  peony, 
dahlia,  poppy,  peach  blows,  sky  rocket,  lilac,  and  red-clover 
blows.  The  color  of  yellow  flowers,  I have  observed,  is  gene- 
rally more  permanent  than  that  of  blue  or  red.  It  is  usually, 
but  not  always,  rendered  paler  by  acids,  and  deeper  by  alkalies. 
That  of  the  tiger  lily,  marigold,  dandelion,  nasturtium,  daisies, 
and  St.  John’s  wort,  is  readily  soluble  in  water,  and  in  solution 
of  potassa,  communicating  a brownish-yellow  color  ; this  is  turned 
to  cherry-red  by  the  acids,  to  greenisli-blue  by  carbonate  of  soda, 
and  to  yellow  and  red  by  several  metallic  salts.  I have  also 
found  that  most  of  the  coloring  matter  of  flowers  is  readily 
bleached  by  sulphurous  acid.  A paper  prepared  with  a combina- 
tion of  different  colors,  will  give  a latent  image,  which  is  bleached 
in  the  ratio  of  the  action  of  the  different  colored  rays ; and  in 
this  way  weak  sulphurous  acid,  or  the  vapor  of  burning  sulphur, 
may  be  used  as  a developer.  When  the  vegetable  wash  is  fol- 
lowed by  one  of  nitrate  of  silver,  the  picture  may  be  developed 


NATURAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


109 


by  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  or  by  exposure  over  a tray  of  hydro- 
sulphuret  of  ammonia. 

As  a general  thing,  the  coloring  matter  of  flowers  may  be  ex- 
tracted by  macerating  with  dilute  alcohol.  It  is  better  to  use  it 
at  once ; but  it  may  be  preserved  with  a little  creosote,  as  al- 
ready stated.  The  extract  should  be  made  and  kept  in  total 
darkness.  It  should  be  applied  to  the  paper,  in  a dark  room, 
with  the  light  of  a candle  only.  Success  is  impossible,  if  the 
precautions  are  not  observed. 

The  coloring  matter  of  flowers  which  can  be  extracted  by 
strong  alcohol  and  ether,  may  be  used  in  collodion,  and  in  this 
menstruum  it  is  acted  upon  more  rapidly  by  the  light.  It  may 
also  be  used  in  albumen,  where  water  alone  is  employed  to  ob- 
tain the  extract,  or  where  you  simply  press  out  the  juice.  In 
this  case  you  may  dilute  the  white  of  eggs  nearly  one  half  with 
the  vegetable  juice,  or  infusion,  and  coat  the  glass,  as  with  col- 
lodion. The  film  should  be  dried  by  a gentle  heat.  Then,  if 
you  wish  to  impregnate  with  other  chemicals,  you  may  do  this 
by  immersion.  There  are  many  other  points  of  great  interest 
connected  with  floral  heliochromy,  if  I may  use  the  term,  but  they 
will  come  more  appropriately  under  the  head  of  “experiments.” 

Thus  far  I have  treated  mostly  of  flowers.  I need  not  dwell 
here  particularly  on  the  coloring  matter  of  fruit.  Suffice  it  to 
say,  that  this  may  be  extracted  and  used  in  the  same  way  as  that 
of  flowers.  The  peach,  cherry,  apple,  strawberry,  blackberry, 
raspberry,  whortleberry,  sumac  bobs,  currants,  grapes,  bittersweet, 
sun-flower  seeds,  pokeberrics,  elderberries,  and  squawberries, 
are  the  principal  fruits  upon  which  I have  experimented.  I will 
mention  here,  however,  that  I shall  detail  a great  number  of  ex- 
periments with  other  vegetable  coloring  matter — such  as  cochi- 
neal, madder,  annatto,  gamboge,  logwood,  brazilwood,  turmeric, 
golden  seal,  fustic,  safflower,  seed  lac,  gniacum,  litmus,  red 
sanders,  and  quercitron.  Some  of  these  experiments  will  be 
found  to  possess  a surpassing  interest ; but  the  substances  here 
referred  to  are  too  well  known  to  require  minute  description. 


110 


HELIOCHROMY. 


I shall  now  pass  to  the  consideration  of  the  coloring  matter  of 
leaves  and  grasses ; and  what  I have  to  offer  here  will  be  under 
three  heads  : — 

1.  Chlorophyl. — This  is  the  substance  from  which  leaves  and 
the  grasses  derive  their  green  color.  It  was  first  obtained  in  its 
pure  state  by  Berzelius.  It  is  procured  by  digesting  leaves  in 
renewed  portions  of  ether.  This  tincture  is  then  evaporated  on 
a water-bath,  and  the  deposit  separated,  dried,  and  treated  with 
alcohol  as  long  as  green  soluble  matter  is  abstracted.  The  alco- 
holic solution  is  evaporated  to  dryness,  and  the  residue  digested 
in  strong  muriatic  acid.  The  green  acid  solution  is  filtered,  and 
mixed  with  water,  by  which  the  chlorophyl  is  precipitated ; 
this  precipitate  is  boiled  in  water,  and  afterwards  dissolved  in  a 
strong  solution  of  caustic  potash,  which  is  then  diluted,  filtered, 
and  precipitated  by  acetic  acid.  The  precipitate,  washed  and 
dried,  is  pure  chlorophyl.  In  mass  it  is  a dark  green,  but  grass- 
green  when  reduced  to  powder.  It  is  insoluble  in  water,  but 
somewhat  soluble  in  alcohol  and  ether.  Alcohol,  ether,  and  the 
essential  oils  dissolve  it,  when  they  are  charged  with  a portion 
of  potash.  Pure  potash  and  its  carbonates  dissolve  it  completely. 
A good  way  to  fasten  it  upon  paper  is  to  wash  the  paper  with 
the  potash  solution,  and  then  soak  the  paper  in  a large 
quantity  of  solution  of  alum.  This  washes  out  the  excess  of 
potash,  and  strikes  a fine  green  color  ; or  you  may  soak  a glass, 
coated  with  plain  collodion,  in  the  potash  solution,  and  then  in 
alum  water ; or  you  may  evaporate  the  potash  solution,  and  it 
will  deposit  chlorophyllate  of  potassa,  which  is  soluble  in  water, 
with  a fine  green  tint. 

2.  Xanthophyl  is  the  coloring  matter  extracted  from  the  yel- 
low leaves  of  autumn.  It  is  rapidly  bleached  by  light,  especially 
by  the  violet,  blue,  and  red  rays.  I have  obtained  it  as  follows  : 
Digest  the  leaves  in  a bottle,  entirely  filled  with  alcohol  of  sp. 
gr.  0833,  and  well  stopped,  to  exclude  the  air,  else  they  will 
change  from  yellow  to  brown.  Distil  off  most  of  the  alcohol, 
and  allow  the  residue  to  cool  slowly,  when  the  xanthophyl  is 


NATURAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


Ill 


deposited,  together  with  a little  resinous  and  fatty  matter. 
These  impurities,  I have  found,  are  no  detriment  to  its  use  in 
heliochromy.  Xanthophyl  is  insoluble  in  water,  and  very  spar- 
ingly soluble  in  alcohol  and  potash  water,  but  readily  dissolves 
in  ether.  An  ethereal  solution,  therefore,  may  be  used  for  either 
paper  or  collodion ; indeed,  I have  found  it  very  effective  to 
simply  bruise  the  leaves  in  ether,  and  to  wash  paper,  nor  change 
collodion  with  the  filtered  liquid.  You  will  find  a very  curious 
experiment  further  on,  in  which  I used  neither  paper  or  collo- 
dion, but  a leaf  itself,  and  produced  a very  good  picture. 

3.  Erythrophyl. — All  trees  and  shrubs,  the  leaves  of  which 
redden  in  autumn,  bear  red  fruit.  This  is  true  of  cherry,  cur- 
rant, mountain  ash,  sumac,  and  other  trees  and  shrubs.  This  red 
coloring  matter  is  obtained  by  digesting  the  red  leaves  in  alcohol, 
and  distilling  the  red  tincture.  It  is  purified  hy  adding  water  to 
the  residue,  and  filtering,  to  separate  precipitated  fat  and  resin. 
Solution  of  acetate  of  lead  is  then  added  to  the  clear  filtrate  as 
long  as  brown  precipitate  is  formed,  which  is  washed  and  decom- 
posed by  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  The  sulphurct  of  lead  formed 
is  separated  on  a filter,  and  the  filtrate  evaporated  to  dryness  : 
the  erythrophyl  remains  in  the  form  of  a red  extract.  Its  com- 
binations with  bases  arc  of  a grass-green  color.  Digested  in 
alkalies,  or  their  carbonates,  the  resulting  solution  is  green;  but 
acids  reproduce  the  red  color. 

The  alcoholic  tincture  first  named  may  bo  used,  without  fur- 
ther preparation,  in  paper  or  collodion.  The  grass  called  red-top, 
mixed  with-  clover  leaves  and  blows,  and  ribbon-grass,  and 
digested  in  alcohol  a few  days,  gave  me  an  extraordinary  combi- 
nation. It  was  used  in  paper,  and  the  wet  paper  frozen  between 
two  plates  of  glass,  by  artificial  means,  simultaneously  with  the 
exposure  of  the  paper  in  the  camera.  The  exposure  was  but  for 
a few  seconds,  and  no  picture  was  visible  after  the  paper  was 
withdrawn  from  the  camera  ; but  on  submitting  the  paper  to  very 
weak  sulphuretted  hydrogen  for  about  two  hours,  the  picture 
was  developed.  The  red,  blue,  yellow,  violet,  green,  and  russet 


112 


HELIOCHROMY. 


were  beautifully  defined.  Unfortunately,  this  picture  faded  out 
in  a few  days.  I afterwards  found  that  soaking  one  in  a weak 
and  perfectly  neutral  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  for  a few 
seconds,  then,  after  a slight  rinsing  with  water,  immersing  it 
for  a moment  in  hyposulpliate  of  soda,  and  rinsing  copiously 
with  water,  the  picture  became  fixed. 

The  leaves  of  the  common  pussy  willow  possess  many 
remarkable  qualities ; an  ethereal  solution  of  them  spread  on 
paper,  and  exposed  to  actinic  influence  for  a few  seconds,  is  very 
curiously  modified.  If  after  the  paper  is  withdrawn  from  the 
camera,  and  spontaneously  dried,  it  is  washed  over  with  a solu- 
tion of  neutral  chloride  of  gold,  and  then  exposed  over  a jar 
containing  an  alcoholic  or  ethereal  solution  of  phosphorus,  the 
gold  will  not  be  reduced  on  the  portions  acted  upon  by  the  light, 
but  is  freely  reduced  on  the  other  portions  ; thus  giving  a picture 
in  which  the  lights  are  white  paper  and  the  shades  gold.  Im- 
pressions of  fern  and  other  leaves,  and  figured  lace,  obtained  in 
this  way  by  superposition,  are  very  beautiful ; and  the  process 
might,  by  such  applications,  be  applied  to  purposes  of  ornament. 
The  color  of  the  ground  may  be  varied  at  pleasure,  by  the 
simple  act  of  dyeing.  The  leaves  of  the  butternut  tree  act  in  a 
similar  manner  ; those  of  sugar  maple,  peach,  pear,  plum,  apple, 
beech,  birch,  ash,  iron  wood,  walnut,  and  chestnut,  will  not  pro- 
duce this  effect ; but  they  each  have  other  peculiarities. 

I now  come  to  the  second  general  head  of  this  chapter,  viz. — 


II. — ARTIFICIAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 

Under  this  head  I shall  include  the  metals  (they  being  assayed 
by  artificial  means,  and  used  in  the  arts),  the  salts  of  the  metals, 
the  acids,  and  the  alkalies. 

1.  The  Metals.  The  king  of  metals  is  gold  ; but  as  an  actinic 
medium  it  is  far  inferior  to  some  other  metals.  Alloyed  with 
silver  it  assumes  an  importance  which  does  not  belong  to  it 


ARTIFICIAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


113 


in  its  purity.  By  melting  together  one  part  of  gold  and  ten  of 
silver,  and  rolling  it  into  a plate,  I obtained  a surface  which  gave 
a peculiar  richness  to  my  Heliochromes.  I arrived  at  the  same 
result  by  amalgamating  these  proportions  of  the  two  metals  with 
mercury,  rubbing  the  amalgam  on  a copper  plate,  and  driving 
off  the  mercury  by  heat.  I have  varied  this  method  of  forming 
plates,  by  adding  one  tenth  of  zinc.  This  I did  by  means  of 
the  electrotype  process,  that  is,  by  precipitating  on  a copper 
plate  the  three  metals  from  a mixture  of  their  cyanides.  I 
prefer  these  to  any  other  plates.  As  they  will  be  referred  to 
hereafter,  I will  now  designate  them  as  the  alloy  plates. 

Silver  is  the  most  important  metal  in  its  relations  to  light. 
This  metal  and  its  combinations,  lie  at  the  base  of  every  valuable 
actinic  process  thus  far  discovered.  That  other  beautiful  and 
practical  processes  will  yet  be  discovered  in  which  silver,  and,  per- 
haps, all  other  metals  will  play  no  part,  I do  not  doubt.  Vege- 
table colors,  the  resins,  and  even  animal  products,  contain  the 
germs  of  many  such  a process.  But  I speak  now  of  the  present 
state  of  our  science.  As  far  as  we  know,  nothing  can  replace 
this  precious  metal.  For  the  reproduction  of  natural  colors,  no 
other  substance,  out  of  the  great  number  I have  tried,  will  bear 
comparison  with  silver.  A plate  of  perfectly  pure  silver  will 
give  my  Heliocliromes  in  great  perfection  ; but  when  it  is  alloyed 
with  zinc  and  gold,  as  I have  mentioned  above,  the  tone  of  the 
pictures  is  improved,  and  the  ray  action  is  greatly  accelerated. 
The  following  is  a ready  method  of  preparing  an  alloy  plate. 
Polish  a common  daguerreotype  plate,  and  rub  it  with  a tuft  of 
cotton  dipped  into  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  and  then  into  an 
amalgam  of  one  part  gold  and  one  part  zinc,  with  the  smallest 
practicable  amount  of  mercury.  Apply  heat  to  drive  off  the 
mercury,  and  when  the  plate  is  cold,  float  its  surface  with  a 
strong  solution  of  bi-chromate  of  potash,  slightly  acidulated  with 
oil  of  vitriol.  This  leaves  the  silver  blanched,  in  which  state  it 
is  readily  polished  ; or  it  may  be  used  without  polishing,  in  which 
case  the  resulting  picture  will  be  without  gloss. 

8 


m 


HELIOCHEOMY. 


For  ordinary  experiments,  I Lave  been  in  tbe  habit  of  using 
the  Scovill  and  the  star  plate.  The  former  work  best  when  gal- 
vanized. The  copper  in  the  Scovill  plate  is  injurious  ; but  when 
galvanized,  these  plates  are  unequalled. 

Copper,  as  a tablet  for  heliochromes,  is  possessed  of  some  sin- 
gular properties.  Coated  heavily  with  iodine,  or,  better  still, 
chloride  of  iodine,  and  exposed  to  a colored  image,  in  a camera 
box  through  which  is  diffused  a weak  vapor  of  sulphuretted 
hydrogen,  it  gives  a sort  of  mongrel  picture — part  natural  colors, 
and  part  iridescence.  Copper  alone,  or  alloyed,  in  the  usual 
way,  with  silver,  has  given  me  no  perfect  results ; but  under 
certain  treatment,  detailed  hereafter,  it  acts  in  a most  interesting 
manner.  Platina,  deposited  on  silver,  by  the  battery,  in  an 
exceedingly  thin  layer,  affords  a tablet  of  some  interest.  A thin 
plate  of  iron,  or  steel,  highly  polished,  and  thinly  silvered,  gives 
rise  to  another  interesting  process.  Some  peculiar  uses  of  zinc, 
lead,  antimony,  arsenic,  osmium,  iridium,  cobalt,  selenium,  mer- 
cury, tin,  bismuth,  nickel,  potassium,  sodium,  and  aluminum,  will 
be  detailed  in  a future  chapter. 

The  alloys  of  some  of  the  metals  are  worthy  of  special  atten- 
tion. “ When  we  remember,”  says  an  able  writer,  “ that  out  of 
eleven  metals  there  are  formed  some  thirty  or  more  alloys,  what 
may  we  not  hope  for  when  this  subject  shall  have  received  its 
due  attention  at  the  hands  of  the  chemist !”  The  following  table 
of  alloys  will  enable  any  ingenious  person  to  form  his  own  tablets 
for  experimenting.  A good  Hessian  crucible,  and  a charcoal 
furnace,  with  a pair  of  handbellows,  will  enable  the  amateur  to 
form  some  interesting  compounds.  A plate  of  polished  steel 
forms  a very  good  mould,  by  means  of  which  you  may  procure 
a fair  surface.  In  making  an  alloy,  you  must  melt  the  least 
fusible  metal  first.  In  the  case  of  volatile  metals,  as  mercury  or 
zinc,  the  alloy  may  be  formed  by  exposure  to  the  fumes.  For 
example,  you  may  form  a plate  with  a brass  surface,  by  holding 
a copper  plate  over  burning  zinc;  and  this  brass  plate  acts, 
heliocliromically,  as  if  it  was  a separate  metal.  So  with  gold 


ARTIFICIAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


115 


or  silver; — they  may  be  amalgamated,  with  a powdery  sur- 
face, by  exposure  to  the  vapor  of  mercury.  This  surface  may 
be  rendered  bright  by  rubbing  with  a piece  of  buckskin. 

The  following  are  the  principal  alloys  I have  used  in  my 
experiments : 


Copper. 

Zinc. 

Tin. 

Load. 

Bismuth. 

Nickel. 

Brass. 

Name  of  Alloy. 

18 

75 

60 

85 

665 

15 

25 

25  | 

i Tombac. 

1 Prince’s  Metal. 
German  Silver. 
Egyptian  Sword. 
Speculum  Metal. 
Spurious  Silver  Leaf. 
Fusible  Metal. 

Queen’s  Metal. 



:::::: 

25  j 

14 

83  5 | 

50 

19 

75 

. . . 

60 

i 

81 

9 

50 

8 

Autimouv. 

8 

2.  The  Salts  of  the  Metals. — First  in  the  list,  as  the  base  of 
inauy  operations,  is  nitrate  of  silver.  It  is  made  thus  : — Dissolve 
silver  coin  in  nitric  acid,  diluted  with  half  water,  by  the  aid  of 
boat.  Dilute  plentifully  with  w ater,  and  stir  in  solution  of  com- 
mon salt  (chloride  soda)  till  all  the  silver  is  precipitated  in  the 
form  of  a curdy  white  mass  (chloride  of  silver) ; wash  with  water 
till  the  taste  of  salt  and  acid  is  gone ; drain  off  all  the  water  save 
enough  to  cover  it,  and  add  to  this  about  one-fourth  part  sulphuric 
acid,  and  some  lumps  of  zinc.  The  rule  is  to  add  enough  acid 
to  create  a lively  effervescence.  Set  it  aside  for  twenty-four 
hours,  or  until  the  chloride  is  all  reduced  to  a dark  powder, 
which  is  metallic  silver.  Take  out  the  pieces  of  zinc  remaining, 
and  add  a little  more  sulphuric  acid,  and  let  it  stand  an  hour. 
This  will  completely  dissolve  all  the  remaining  particles  of  zinc. 
Wash  thoroughly  with  water,  and  redissolve  in  nitric  acid,  dilute 
one  half  with  water  as  before.  Filter  and  evaporate  to  crystal- 
lization. Drain  the  crystals,  and  spread  them  on  paper  to  dry. 
This  is  pure  nitrate  of  silver,  if  the  process  has  been  properly 
managed.  If  it  is  not  pure  white,  or  does  not  give  a clear  solu- 
tion in  water,  redissolve  in  water,  filter,  and  again  crystallize. 


116 


HELIOCHROMY. 


These  crystals  are  soluble  in  one  part  cold,  in  half  a part 
boiling  water,  in  four  parts  boiling  alcohol,  insoluble  in  pure 
nitric  acid.  Nitrate  of  silver  fuses  readily,  and  congeals  to  a 
white  fibrous  mass.  It  does  not  blacken  by  light,  unless  organic 
matter  be  present.  United  to  almost  any  vegetable  or  animal 
matter,  it  is  readily  acted  upon  by  light.  Even  the  bony  sub- 
stances, as  ivory,  horn,  gum,  &c.,  give  it  this  property,  A tablet 
of  wood,  in  this  respect,  forms  a photographic  material.  You 
can  take  a picture  on  your  own  skin,  or  finger  nail,  by  soaking 
the  part  in  warm  solution  of  a chloride,  as  common  salt,  for  half 
an  hour,  wiping  off  the  liquid,  and  holding  the  part  in  ammonio- 
nitrate  of  silver  for  a few  minutes  in  the  dark.  Then  fasten  on 
the  part  a transparent  engraving,  by  means  of  pasting  the 
corners,  and  be  around  in  the  light.  Fix  in  hyposulphate  of 
soda,  and  rinse  with  water. 

Chloride  of  Silver  is  formed  by  mingling  solutions  of  the  nitrate 
and  chloride  of  soda  (common  salt),  or  any  other  chloride,  or 
hydrochloric  acid.  It  is  cleansed  from  acid  and  salt  by  washing 
in  water.  Chloride  of  silver,  when  pure,  is  beautifully  white, 
but  darkens  rapidly  in  the  light.  Under  the  red  ray  it  is  tinted 
red.  By  the  other  rays  it  is  blackened,  and  converted  into  sub- 
chloride of  silver.  It  may  also  be  reduced  to  sub-chloride  by  the 
action  of  chlorides  of  copper  and  mercury  and  per-chloride  of 
iron,  and  may  be  formed  directly  by  the  action  of  muriatic  acid 
and  sub-oxide  of  silver.  Sub-chloride  of  silver  is  a brownish  or 
black  powder.  It  is  an  important  agent  in  heliochromy.  The 
white  chloride  fuses  at  500°  to  a clear  yellow  liquid.  It  congeals 
to  a transparent,  colorless  solid,  so  soft  as  to  receive  the  impres- 
sion of  the  finger  nail.  In  this  fact  lies  a beautiful  process,  for 
the  first  preparation  of  heliochromic  tablets. 

Iodide  and  Bromide  of  silver  are  formed  by  mutual  decomposi- 
tion, like  the  chloride.  Iodide  or  bromide  of  potassium  are  the 
salts  generally  used  to  mingle  with  the  nitrate.  These  salts 
both  fuse  to  a red  liquid,  and  congeal  to  a yellow  mass.  They 
are  useful,  but  not  essential,  in  my  collodiochrome. 


ARTIFICIAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


117 


Fluoride  of  Silver  is  formed  by  the  action  of  hydrofluoric  acid 
on  carbonate  of  silver.  When  dry  it  is  fusible,  like  the  chloride. 
It  is  soluble  in  water,  and  mingles  freely  with  the  other  silver 
salts,  in  which  way  I make  use  of  it. 

Ammonio-nitrate , or  Ammoniuret  of  Silver,  is  formed  by  adding 
aqua  ammonke  to  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  until  the  precipi- 
tate at  first  formed  is  exactly  re-dissolved.  A little  nitrate  solu- 
tion should  then  be  added,  to  prevent  the  least  excess  of  ammonia. 
Or,  you  may  dissolve  nitrate  of  silver  in  aqua  ammonias,  and 
obtain  ammoniuret  in  crystals. 

Fulminate  of  Silver. — This  very  singular  and  dangerous  com- 
pound is  prepared  as  follows  : 100  grains  of  fused  and  finely  pow- 
dered nitrate  of  silver  are  added  to  1 oz.  warm  alcohol,  and 
the  mixture  stirred  in  a large  basin.  An  ounce  of  fuming  nitric 
acid  is  then  added.  A violent  effervescence  follows,  and  a white 
powder  falls.  Cold  water  is  added,  and  the  powder  is  imme- 
diately collected  on  a filter,  and  dried  at  100°.  The  contact  of 
a hard  body  causes  this  substance  to  explode  with  great  violence. 
It  is  unsafe  to  make  more  than  the  product  of  a sixpence  at  once, 
though  I once  made  a half  dollar  into  this  fulminate,  and  had 
the  pleasure  of  standing  within  three  feet  of  it  when  it  exploded. 
As  a wonder  of  mercy,  I escaped  unhurt ; but  if  the  reader 
doubts  my  assertion  that  it  made  somewhat  of  a racket,  let  him 
try  the  experiment.  I was  deaf  as  an  adder  for  a week. 

Citrate  of  Silver. — This  is  formed  by  adding  a citrate,  as 
citrate  of  soda,  to  a soluble  salt  of  silver,  as  the  nitrate.  It  is  a 
brilliant  white  powder.  Paper,  or  collodion,  impregnated  with  a 
citrate,  and  then  dipped  into  nitrate  of  silver,  will  furnish  the 
citrate  of  silver  in  a form  for  experimenting.  Joined  with  iron, 
in  the  form  of  ammonio  citrate  of  iron,  it  affords  a curious  actinic 
agent. 

Silvate  of  Silver. — This  important  salt  is  made  thus  : — Mix 
alcoholic  solutions  of  nitrate  of  silver  and  silvic  acid,  and  add 
ammonia.  A white  precipitate  falls,  which  must  be  caught  on  a 
filter.  It  is  soluble  in  ether. 


118 


HELIOCHROMY. 


The  Cyanide , Hyposulphite,  Carbonate , Phosphate,  Borate , 
Chromate,  and  Aluminate  of  Silver  are  formed  by  mutual 
decomposition,  by  means  of  mingling  solutions  of  cyanide, 
hyposulphite,  &c.,  of  potassa  or  soda  with  nitrate  of  silver.  Some 
of  these  salts  will  be  referred  to  again. 

I shall  now  pass  to  the  consideration  of  some  of  the  Salts  of 
Gold.  Those  of  zinc,  lead,  iridium,  cobalt,  &c.,  will  receive  all 
necessary  attention  in  a more  appropriate  place. 

Chloride  of  Gold,  in  great  purity,  is  made  thus  : — Dissolve  gold 
coin  in  nitro-muriatic  acid,  by  the  aid  of  a water-bath  heat.  The 
acid  should  be  made  by  mixing  one  part  nitric,  and  two  parts 
muriatic  acids.  Dilute  the  solution  with  about  fuur  parts  water, 
and  stir  into  it  an  excess  of  strong,  well-filtered  solution  of  sul- 
phate of  iron.  Let  it  stand  twenty-four  hours,  when  all  the  gold 
in  the  coin  will  be  precipitated  as  a dark  chocolate-colored  powder. 
Wash  this  several  times  in  water,  and  re-dissolve  in  the  smallest 
possible  quantity  of  nitro-muriatic  acid.  Evaporate  over  a water- 
bath  until  the  chloride,  on  cooling,  will  concrete  into  a waxy 
mass.  Bottle  immediately,  as  it  is  very  deliquescent  in  the 
air. 

Hyposulphite  of  Gold,  or  Sel  d’Or. — I have  a very  neat  pro- 
cess for  making  this  beautiful  salt.  It  is  this. — Dissolve  one  part 
chloride  of  gold  in  the  smallest  possible  amount  of  water,  and 
filter.  Dissolve  three  parts  hyposulphite  of  soda  in  the  least  pos- 
sible quantity  of  water.  Add  the  gold  to  the  soda  solution,  drop 
by  drop,  with  constant  agitation,  and  let  the  mixture  stand  until 
it  will  filter  clear.  Add  this  to  five  or  six  times  its  bulk  of  ninety- 
five  per  cent,  alcohol — shake,  and  let  it  stand  a few  hours — when 
the  sel  d’or  will  be  precipitated  as  fine  brilliant  needles.  Throw 
into  a filter,  catch  and  dry  the  crystals.  I have  given  this  pro- 
cess in  detail,  on  account  of  the  importance  of  this  salt  in  helio- 
chromy. 

Iodide  of  Gold. — Add  solution  of  chloride  of  gold  to  solution 
of  iodide  of  potassium  till  a dark  green  precipitate  forms,  and 
until  this  preequtate  becomes  permanent,  for  the  first  portion 


ARTIFICIAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


119 


formed  is  re-dissolved  on  agitation.  It  is  soluble  in  hydriodic 
acid,  in  which  state  I use  it. 

Bromide  of  Gold. — Dissolve  gold  leaf  in  pure  bromine.  On 
evaporation  it  leaves  a dark  grey  mass,  soluble  in  water,  from 
which  it  may  be  obtained  in  dark  red  crystals.  This  salt  is  so 
intense  a color,  that  it  gives  a tinge  to  5,000  parts  of  water. 

Chloride  of  Gold,  and  Hydrofluoric  Acid,  or  Fluoride  of  Po- 
tassium, form  a mixture,  which,  added  to  other  compounds,  holds 
an  important  place  in  some  of  my  processes. 

The  Purple  of  Cassius. — When  protochloride  of  tin  is  added 
to  a dilute  solution  of  chloride  of  gold,  a dirty  purple  precipitate 
is  formed,  which  is  purple  of  Cassius,  so  called  after  the  name  of 
the  chemist  who  discovered  it.  A better  colored  precipitate  is 
formed  when  the  protochloride  of  tin  is  added  to  a solution  of 
percliloride  of  iron  till  the  color  of  the  liquid  has  a shade  of 
green,  and  adding  this  liquid  drop  by  drop,  to  a solution  of  per- 
chloride  of  gold,  very  dilute;  after  twenty-four  hours  a brown 
powder  is  deposited  which  is  slightly  transparent  and  purple  red 
by  transmitted  light.  When  dried  and  powdered  it  is  a dull  blue 
color.  This  powder  is  used  in  porcelain  painting,  and  for  tinging 
glass  of  a fine  red  color. 

Cyanide  of  Gold. — Dissolve  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  grains 
chloride  of  gold  in  one  pint  of  water.  Dissolve  one  ounce  cyanide 
of  potassium  in  a li  tie  water,  and  add  this,  with  stirring,  to  the 
gold  solution.  Or  you  may  dissolve  one  ounce  cyanide  in  a little 
water,  saturate  it  with  chloride  of  gold,  and  then  add  a small  lump 
of  cyanide  to  insure  an  excess.  Dilute  this  to  one  pint.  I use  this 
in  many  ways.  For  gilding  with  it  attach  to  the  article  to  be 
gilt  a piece  of  bright  zinc,  of  nearly  its  size,  and  immerse  both 
in  the  solution.  Two  or  three  drops  of  bi-sulphuret  of  carbon 
added  to  the  above  solution  cause  the  gold  to  be  deposited  in  a 
more  brilliant  form.  This  is  also  a valuable  addition  to  cyanide 
of  silver. 

Sulpho-cyanide  of  Gold  is  a flesh-colored  powder,  which  falls 
when  solution  of  sulpho  cyanide  of  potassium  is  mixed  with 


120 


HELIOCHROMY . 


chloride  of  gold.  It  is  soluble  in  the  precipitant,  and  in  am- 
monia. 

Polychrome  Gold. — I have  coined  this  name  as  expressive  of  a 
union  of  polychrome  with  gold.  Polychrome  I prepare  very 
readily  as  follows  : — I digest  horse- chestnut-bark  in  alcohol  for 
two  or  three  days,  concentrate  the  liquor  to  the  consistence  of  a 
syrup  by  distillation  in  a common  retort,  and  set  this  aside  for 
some  weeks  to  crystallize.  These  crystals  I wash  with  ice-water, 
to  free  them  from  extractive  matter,  and  dissolve  them  in  a boiling 
mixture  of  five  parts  ninety-five  per  cent,  alcohol  with  one  of 
sulphuric  ether,  from  which,  by  cooling,  the  polychrome  separates, 
perfectly  colorless,  and  usually  as  a light  powder,  like  magnesia 
alba.  It  dissolves  in  672  parts  of  water  at  50°,  and  in  13  parts 
at  212°.  The  solution  is  colorless  by  transmitted,  but  slightly 
blue  by  reflected  light ; acids  destroy  this  property,  but  it  is 
restored  by  a few  drops  of  any  alkali.  It  does  not  precipitate 
any  of  the  metallic  salts  ; but  its  mixture  with  salts  of  gold  has 
extraordinary  properties.  The  powder  dissolves  abundantly  in 
alkaline  liquors,  and  the  solutions  give  a magnificent  play  of 
colors  with  reflected  light.  In  a reflected  spectrum  they  are 
perfectly  gorgeous  and  dazzling.  The  polychrome-gold  I prepare 
by  neutralizing  sel  d’or  with  a very  little  carbonate  of  potash, 
and  adding  it  (fifty  grains  of  sel  d’or)  to  four  ounces  solution  of 
polychrome,  containing  one  hundred  grains  polychrome  and  one 
drachm  liquid  ammonia.  I keep  this  in  a bottle  perfectly  covered 
with  black  paint,  and  never  open  it  to  the  daylight. 

Protochloride  of  Tin , so  much  used  as  a mordant  in  dyeing, 
is  obtained  by  dissolving  tin  in  strong  muriatic  acid  until  it  is 
saturated,  and  evaporating.  The  salt  crystallizes  in  long  prisms. 
They  are  soluble  in  water ; for  a very  dilute  solution  a few 
drops  of  muriatic  acid  should  be  added  to  the  water,  else  it  is 
decomposed  into  a basic  salt. 

The  Nitrate , Sulphate,  and  Chloride  of  Copper,  can  be  cheaply 
purchased,  of  a pure  quality,  from  a chemist.  So  with  the  salts 
of  lead,  bismuth,  iron,  zinc,  &c. ; and  I recommend  this  method. 


ARTIFICIAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


121 


of  obtaining  the  limited  quantity  required  by  tlie  subsequent 
processes. 


III. — THE  ACIDS. 

These  should  be  purchased  of  a pure  quality.  The 
principal  acids  I employ  are  the  nitric,  sulphuric,  sulphur- 
ous, hydrochloric,  hydrofluoric,  citric,  boracic,  iodic,  bromic, 
tartaric,  uric,  gallic,  pyro-gallic,  nitrous,  acetic,  and  oxalic.  A 
few  of  these  agents  which  it  is  difficult  to  purchase  pure,  and 
which  must  be  made  in  a certain  way,  I will  notice  in  detail. 

1.  Clilor acetic  Acid. — Introduce  into  bottles  about  full  of 
dry  chlorine,  a small  quantity  of  concentrated  acetic  acid,  and 
expose  to  direct  sunshine.  On  hot  days  explosion  sometimes 
occurs,  but  never  immediately  on  exposure.  The  best  way  is  to 
expose  the  bottles  at  a safe  distance,  and  not  to  meddle  with  them 
until  the  next  morning,  when  the  chlorine  will  be  gone,  and  the 
interior  of  the  bottles  lined  with  a crystalline  deposit,  consisting 
chiefly  of  chloracetic  acid.  Pour  in  each  bottle  a small  quantity 
of  water,  which  will  give  a strong  chloracetic  solution.  Collect 
these  into  one  bottle,  and  expose  it  in  vacuo  by  the  side  of  a vessel 
containing  pieces  of  caustic  potash  and  another  containing  sul- 
phuric acid.  The  oxalic  acid  in  the  solution  will  first  crystallize, 
and  then  the  chloracetic  acid,  in  rhomboliedric  crystals.  Place 
these  crystals  on  bibulous  paper,  which  will  partially  free  them 
from  adhering  acetic  acid.  The  vapor  of  this  acid  is  dangerously 
irritating.  Boil  a solution  of  this  salt  with  excess  of  potassa,  and 
the  liquor  deposits,  on  cooling,  an  abundant  crop  of  crystals  of 
chloride  of  potassium,  and  the  mother  liquor  acts  powerfully 
upon  a solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  reducing  it  to  the  metallic 
state. 

2.  Uric  Acid. — This  is  extracted  from  guano,  and  is  found  in  the 
excrements  of  the  parrot,  the  silkworm,  and  the  boa-constrictor.  It 
is  readily  extracted  from  the  latter  as  follows  : — Dry  the  excre- 
ments, reduce  to  powder,  boil,  first  in  alcohol,  then  in  water  : then 
digest  in  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  wash  in  water,  and  digest  in 


122 


HELIOCHROMY. 


a hot  solution  of  caustic  potassa,  filter,  concentrate,  press  out  the 
resulting  pasty  mass,  and  wash  with  water.  Dissolve  this  in 
boiling  water,  and  pour  the  hot  solution  into  hydrochloric  acid, 
when  a white  gelatinous  precipitate  falls,  which  is  to  be  washed 
and  dried.  This  is  pure  uric  acid.  Dissolve  this  in  a weak 
solution  of  potassa,  and  evaporate,  and  urate  of  potassa  separates 
as  a dense  crystalline  powder.  Slightly  acidulate  solution  of  this 
salt,  and  mix  an  excess  with  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver ; urate 
of  silver  is  the  result,  which  blackens  with  a little  heat. 

3.  Chlorochromic  Acid. — Melt  in  a crucible  a mixture  of  ten 
parts  of  common  salt,  and  seventeen  parts  of  bi-chromate  of  potash. 
Pour  the  melted  mass  on  a slab  to  cool,  break  into  small  pieces, 
and  fill  a tubulated  retort  with  the  same.  After  attaching  con- 
densing receiver,  pour  forty  parts  of  sulphuric  acid  on  the  mass. 
In  a few  minutes  all  the  product  distils  over  without  the  aid  of 
heat.  This  singular  acid  is  a blood  red  liquid,  and  fumes  on 
exposure  to  the  air  ; its  vapor  is  red. 

4.  Hydrofluoric  Acid. — This  acid  it  is  better  to  buy  than  to 
make.  It  comes  in  lead  bottles ; it  is  a dangerous  poison,  and 
should  never  be  opened  in  a close  room.  I came  near  losing 
my  life  by  working  over  the  fumes  of  this  acid.  It  produced 
bleeding  at  the  lungs,  and  an  entire  prostration  of  my  nervous 
system,  accompanied  by  neuralgic  pains  of  great  severity.  My 
whole  system  became  charged  with  it;  as  a remedy  I took 
minute  doses  of  nitrate  of  silver,  often  repeated,  with  a view  to 
the  formation  of  fluoride  of  silver.  The  importance  of  this  acid 
in  heliochromy  cannot  be  overrated. 

IV. — THE  ALKALIES. 

Potash,  soda,  ammonia,  baryta,  lime,  and  strontia,  and  some 
of  their  salts,  will  occupy  our  attention  in  the  present  section. 
Ammonia  is  the  volatile  alkali ; potash  and  soda  the  fixed  alkalies; 
and  lime,  baryta,  and  strontia,  the  alkaline  earths.  Caustic 
potash  and  soda,  and  their  carbonates,  are  indispensable.  Those 


ARTIFICIAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


123 


alkaline  salts  which  are  useful  in  heliochromy,  I will  notice  in 
detail. 

3.  Iodide  of  Potash. — Dissolve  iodine  in  potash  solution,  until 
the  latter  is  completely  neutralized.  Evaporate  to  dryness,  and 
heat  the  mass  to  redness,  keeping  it  so  as  long  as  bubbles  of 
oxygen  gas  are  liberated.  The  residual  mass  is  iodide  of  potash. 
Let  it  get  cold,  and  dissolve  it  in  its  weight  of  boiling  water. 
Let  it  crystallize  very  slowly.  This  salt  is  convenient  for  form- 
ing other  iodides. 

2.  Bromide  of  Potash , prepared  exactly  as  the  above,  with  the 
exception  of  substituting  bromine  for  iodine.  If  before  the 
fusion  of  either  of  these  salts,  a little  charcoal  is  added,  the 
result  is  better,  as  it  entirely  frees  them  from  iodates. 

3.  Fluoride  of  Potassium  is  formed  by  saturating  hydrofluoric 
acid  with  the  potash,  and  evaporating  to  dryness.  This  salt 
bears  an  intense  heat  without  change. 

Iodide,  bromide,  and  fluoride  of  silver  and  of  other  metals, 
are  formed  with  these  salts  by  mutual  decomposition.  The  so- 
lution of  fluoride  of  potash  corrodes  glass.  It  is  decomposed  by 
chlorine.  A solution  of  a chloride  with  this  fluoride,  will  give 
fluorine,  in  a nascent  state,  on  the  immersion  of  a plate  of  silver. 
All  three  of  these  salts  are  soluble  in  water ; but  slightly  so  in 
alcohol.  On  addition  of  sulphuric  acid  to  their  solutions,  they 
evolve  their  respective  vapors. 

4.  Nitrate  of  Potash.  Nitre.  Saltpetre. — This  salt  is  an 
abundant  natural  product,  lixiviated  from  certain  soils  in  the  East 
Indies.  In  France  and  Germany  it  is  artificially  produced  in 
what  are  termed  nitre  beds.  Nitre,  to  be  fit  for  photographic 
use,  should  be  refined,  which  is  done  by  recrystallizing  ; and 
always  while  it  is  recrystallizing  it  should  be  stirred,  so  that  the 
crystals  may  be  small.  The  crystals  should  then  be  washed  and 
completely  dried.  It  should  also  be  dried  again  after  pulverizing, 
before  it  is  used  for  making  gun  cotton,  as  even  a little  water 
may  create  an  undue  heat,  on  the  addition  of  the  sulphuric  acid. 
This  should  never  be  neglected. 


HELIOCHROMY. 


121 

5.  Cyanide  of  Potash. — Formed  by  saturating  a concentrated 
solution  of  caustic  potasb  with  hydrocyanic  acid.  It  is  a deadly 
poison ; and  should  be  purchased  by  the  amateur,  and  used  with 
care.  For  electrotyping,  and  as  a fixing  agent  in  the  collodion 
process,  it  is  invaluable.  It  is  abundantly  soluble  in  water.  An 
electrotype  solution  of  excellent  quality  may  be  formed  by  satu- 
rating a given  quantity  of  water  with  cyanide  of  potash,  and 
saturating  this  solution  with  chloride  of  silver,  and  then  adding 
a little  cyanide  to  give  an  excess.  This  solution  is  to  be  diluted 
with  water  to  the  working  point. 

6.  Chromate  and  Pi-chromate  of  Potash. — Both  these  salts  are 
extensively  used  in  calico  printing  ; and  in  connexion  with  the 
salts  of  lead,  &c.,  produce  some  very  brilliant  tints.  A paper 
washed  with  a mixture  of  two  drachms  saturated  solution  of  the 
bi-chromate,  and  a solution  of  two  drachms  of  sulphate  of  iron 
in  ounce  of  water,  exposed  under  a super-imposed  engraving  for 
from  five  to  twenty  minutes  in  strong  sunshine,  and  then  washed 
with  a solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  gives  a yellow  picture.  The 
picture  shows  faintly  on  coming  from  the  frame  ; and  if  parts  of 
it  are  then  touched  with  a solution  of  ferro-cyanide  of  iron,  these 
will  be  blue.  By  touching  parts  of  the  picture  with  solution  of 
nitrate  of  silver  of  different  strengths,  you  can  obtain  a range  of 
colors  from  a bright  yellow  to  a strong  orange  red.  After  the 
picture  is  fixed  by  soaking  it  in  water,  it  may  be  rendered  trans- 
parent by  rubbing  it  with  Dammar  varnish,  and  other  (oil)  colors 
put  on  the  back,  with  pleasing  effect. 

7.  Hyposulphite  of  Soda. — This  salt  is  now  extensively  manu- 
factured in  great  purity.  It  is  too  well  known  among  photo- 
graphers to  require  description.  It  is  an  essential  article  in  my 
processes. 

8.  Chlorite  of  Soda.  Labarraque’s  liquid'. — Prepared  by  pass- 
ing the  chlorine  from  9 lbs.  common  salt,  7 lbs.  manganese, 
9 lbs.  oil  of  vitriol,  7 lbs.  water,  into  a solution  39  lbs.  cryst. 
soda  in  19  J galls,  water.  Or  decompose  a solution  of  chloride  of 
lime  by  a solution  of  carbonate  of  soda,  as  long  as  carbonate  of 


ARTIFICIAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


125 


lime  precipitates,  and  add  a little  excess  of  alkali.  This  is  a 
bleaching  liquid. 

9.  Bihorate  of  Soda.  Borax. — Before  using  the  borax  of  com- 
merce, it  should  be  dissolved  in  water,  filtered,  and  evaporated  to 
crystallization. 

10.  Iodide  of  Baryta. — Add  a saturated  alcoholic  solution  of 
iodine  to  a solution  of  proto-sulphuret  of  barium,  as  long  as  any 
sulphur  separates,  filter,  evaporate  almost  to  dryness,  re-dissolve 
in  a small  portion  of  water,  and  boil  it  down  in  a flask  to  dry- 
ness. This  salt  has  very  singular  colorific  properties. 

11.  Chloride  of  Lime. — A good  article  of  this  salt  can  be  pur- 
chased at  the  drug  stores.  It  may  be  employed  for  several  pur- 
poses in  picture-making.  A saturated  solution  in  water,  well 
settled  and  decanted,  or  filtered,  may  be  used  for  mutual  decom- 
position, for  forming  various  metallic  chlorides.  Or  the  same 
solution  may  be  made  to  give  out  chlorine  gas,  by  adding  sul- 
phuric acid  to  it.  In  this  way  very  exact  quantities  of  the  gas 
may  be  evolved,  by  simply  regulating  the  amount  of  acid,  and 
by  dilution.  To  rid  a room  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  and  many 
other  noxious  gases,  it  may  be  used  as  above. 

12.  Chloride  of  Strontia. — Procurable  in  purity  only  from 
chemists.  Soluble  in  water  and  alcohol.  It  imparts  a brilliant- 
red  color  to  alcohol  flame. 


V. THE  GASES  AND  VAPORS. 

1.  Chlorine. — Mix  one  part  binoxide  of  manganese  with  two 
to  three  parts  of  concentrated  hydrochloric  acid,  in  a retort,  and 
apply  a gentle  heat.  Chlorine  gas  is  abundantly  evolved.  By 
using  a bent  tube,  and  having  the  bent  end  reach  nearly  to  the 
bottom  of  a bottle,  the  bottle  will  fill  with  the  gas,  by  the  dis- 
placement of  the  air.  Or,  you  may  conduct  the  gas  into  water,  and 
thus  form  chlorine  water.  Chlorine  is  a yellowish  green  gas,  of 
an  astringent  taste,  and  a suffocating  odor.  Even  when  diluted 


126 


HELIOCHROMY. 


with  air,  it  excites  spasm  and  irritation  of  the  glottis.  This  gas 
has  a strong  affinity  for  hydrogen,  uniting  with  it  explosively,  in 
sunshine.  It  unites  readily  with  several  metallic  surfaces,  espe- 
cially silver,  hut  it  is  difficult  to  procure  as  good  a coating  as  with 
iodine.  As  it  works  better  in  presence  of  moisture,  I succeeded 
in  procuring  beautiful  coatings  by  first  thinly  covering  the  plate 
with  a moist  substance,  as  glue,  honey,  molasses,  Ac.,  and,  after 
the  coating  forms,  washing  away  this  layer.  A more  ready 
method  of  chloridizing  a silver  plate  is  to  immerse  it  in  a chloride. 
Chloride  of  iron,  formed  by  dissolving  red  oxyde  of  iron  (rouge) 
in  muriatic  acid,  gives  a beautiful  coating  to  a silver  plate.  Sul- 
phate of  copper  dissolved  in  water,  and  the  solution  charged 
with  muriatic  acid,  will  do  the  same.  Paper  imbued  with  solu- 
tion of  nitrate  of  silver,  and  exposed  to  chlorine  gas,  may  be 
charged  with  chloride  of  silver. 

2.  Hydrogen. — A convenient  way  to  procure  this  gas  is  to 
place  in  a flask  some  sulphuric  acid  diluted  with  four  parts  of 
water,  and  add  pieces  of  zinc.  By  attaching  a tube  to  the  flask 
you  may  collect  the  gas  in  a bell-glass  over  water.  It  may  he 
employed  in  the  camera,  between  the  plate  and  lens,  by  simply 
placing  some  dilute  sulphuric  acid  and  zinc  in  a small  bottle,  and 
placing  the  bottle  uncorked  in  the  camera  box.  When  it  is  re- 
quired for  developing,  or  reduction,  a tight  wooden  box  or  a com- 
mon coating  jar  answers  well,  always  observing  the  precaution 
to  interpose  a muslin  screen  between  the  bottom  of  the  jar  and 
the  plate,  to  prevent  the  water  carried  up  by  the  gas  from  spat- 
tering the  plate.  Other  gases  may  be  used  in  the  same  way. 

3.  Sulphuretted  Hydrogen. — Obtained  by  acting  on  sulphuret 
of  antimony — one  part — by  muriatic  acid — four  parts— by  the 
aid  of  heat.  It  is  more  conveniently  made  by  acting  on  sul- 
phuret of  iron  by  dilute  sulphuric  acid.  To  purify  it,  pass  it 
through  an  intermediate  bottle  of  water  at  80°,  or  through 
salt  water.  It  is  a gas  of  very  unpleasant  odor.  Whoever  has 
been  to  Sharon  Springs,  or,  what  is  equivalent,  had  his  nose  in 
the  neighborhood  of  rotten  eggs,  knows  all  about  the  smell  of 


ARTIFICIAL  COLORIFIC  AGENTS. 


127 


this  abominably  fetid  gas.  A paper  dipped  in  solution  of  nitrate 
of  silver  becomes  beautifully  iridescent  on  exposure  to  this  gas ; 
the  silver  is  reduced  to  the  metallic  state.  An  argento-collodion, 
or  albumen  coating,  is  still  more  beautifully  affected.  The  gas 
may  be  used  in  its  nascent  state,  by  simply  immersing  the  article 
to  be  acted  upon  in  the  liquid  where  the  gas  is  forming.  Chlorine 
is  a disinfectant  of  this  gas. 

4.  Selenium — This  metal  is  extracted,  by  a lengthy  process, 
from  the  reddish  deposit  formed  in  the  manufacture  of  oil  of  vitriol 
from  iron  pyrites.  It  liquifies  a little  above  212°,  and  boils  below 
a red  heat,  giving  a darker  yellow  gas  than  chlorine. 

5.  Sulphur. — At  822°  this  well  known  substance  boils  and 
rises  in  a dark  orange-colored  vapor,  which  deposits  flowers  of 
sulphur  on  a cold  body.  By  dipping  pith,  or  other  porous  and 
inflammable  bodies  into  melted  sulphur,  and  setting  fire  to  it,  you 
may  coat  a glass  or  other  surface  with  a layer  of  sulphur,  and 
this  surface,  after  iodizing  or  bromidizing,  will  give  a picture 
which  developcs  itself  in  the  dark. 

6.  Phosphorus. — A convenient  way  to  use  the  vapor  of  this 
singular  substance,  is  to  dissolve  some  of  it  in  ether  or  alcohol, 
and  place  the  solution  in  a coating  jar.  The  plate,  paper,  or 
collodionized  glass  to  be  acted  upon  may  be  placed  over  it.  In 
this  way  gold  and  silver  may  b«  reduced  from  their  solutions  to 
the  metallic  state.  A fine  coat  of  gold  may  thus  be  given  to 
paper,  leaves,  laces,  and  other  ornamented  articles.  The  article 
must  first  be  impregnated,  or  covered,  with  a solution  of  chloride 
of  gold,  of  moderate  strength,  10  grs.  to  the  oz.  of  water.  Grum 
water  may  be  used  for  dissolving  the  chloride,  where  the  article 
will  only  admit  of  a wash. 

7.  Phosphuretted  Hydrogen. — Heat  phosphorus  in  a solution 
of  potash  in  dilute  alcohol.  It  may  be  caught  over  mercury,  or 
overboiled  salt  water.  There  arc  many  other  methods  of  making  it; 
but  the  above  simple  method  is  the  one  I prefer,  as  the  gas  thus 
made  is  but  little  explosive.  Its  uses  will  be  detailed  hereafter. 

8.  Oxygen. — Heat  chlorate  of  potash  in  a glass  retort.  It 


128 


HELIOCHROMY. 


gives  off  all  its  oxygen.  A portion  of  peroxide  of  manganese,  or 
of  oxyde  of  copper,  facilitates  tlie  reaction.  In  small  quantities, 
and  for  immediate  use,  it  may  be  collected  in  the  pneumatic 
trough,  in  bell-glasses.  This  gas  lias  a much  greater  influence  in 
photographic  operations  than  most  persons  imagine. 

9.  Nitrous  Oxyde. — Heat  nitrate  of  ammonia  in  a retort,  and  a 
colorless,  inodorous  gas  is  evolved,  which  induces  intoxication 
when  inhaled,  and  hence  called  “ laughing  gas.” 

10.  Nitric  Oxyde. — Generated  by  acting  on  copper  filings  by 
nitric  acid.  On  mixing  with  air  it  becomes  red.  It  gives  a 
splendid  coating  to  a plate  of  silver.  The  effects  of  light  upon  it 
are  singular  in  the  extreme. 

11.  Hyponitric  Acid  Vapor. — This  vapor  is  deep  red.  The  acid 
is  prepared  by  the  dry  distillation  of  nitrate  of  lead,  powdered 
and  thoroughly  desiccated. 

12.  Iodine  and  Bromine  give  off  their  vapors  at  common  tem- 
peratures. That  of  the  former  is  violet;  that  of  the  latter  red. 
A gentle  heat  disengages  them  in  great  abundance. 


EXPERIMENTS. 


129 


CHAPTER  VII. 

EXPERIMENTS  ON  THE  DAGUERREOTYPE  PLATE. 

Colors  produced  on  the  rotative  principle. — The  iodized,  bromo-iodized,  and 
chloro-iodized  plate,  each  give  these  colors. — Mercury,  at  various  tempera- 
tures— impinging  at  angles — alloyed. — The  eleetrotyped,  blanched,  oxy- 
dized,  grained,  and  greased  plate.— -New  Developers.— Vapors  of  Zinc,  Tin, 
Bismuth,  Antimony,  Arsenic,  Molybdenum,  Gold,  Silver,  Copper,  Platina, 
Iridium,  and  Iron. — The  Oxy-hydrogen  Blowpipe, — Eliopole  Lamp. — Vol- 
taic flame. — Screens  of  Platina  Gauze. — The  Gases — Sulphuric,  Nitric, 
Phosphuretted  Hydrogen,  Sulphuretted  Hydrogen,  Hydrogen,  <fcc — The 
reversed  Daguerreotype  process. — Undercoatings,  with  Bromine,  Chlorine, 
Fer-fluorideof  Chrome,  Chloroehromic  Acid,  Carbonaceous  Glaze. — Iodized 
Mercury  Surface,  developed  with  the  vapor  of  Silver. — Colored  Light  for 
Developing.  , 

It  may  not  be  known  to  tbe  generality  of  my  readers  that  a 
common  Daguerreotype,  or  iodized  silver  plate,  may  be  impressed 
with  the  solar  spectrum  ; but  the  fact  has  been  tested  by  several 
experimentalists.  Robert  Hunt  attributes  the  effect  to  iride- 
scence. In  other  words,  he  accounts  for  it  on  the  principle  of 
Newton’s  rings.  The  colors,  he  contends,  are  produced  by  the 
infinitesimal  and  relative  tenuity  of  the  coating,  as  produced  by 
the  relative  intensity  of  the  action  of  the  different  colored  rays  of 
light.  As  shown  in  another  chapter,  this  effect  is  not  produced 
on  the  iodized  plate,  except  on  the  principle  of  rotation  ; that  is 
to  say,  at  one  period  of  the  exposure  what  should  be  green  will 
be  yellow,  the  yellow  will  presently  be  blue,  and  the  blue  will  at 
length  come  to  green.  Hence,  if  you  can  watch  close  enough  to 
catch  the  effect  at  the  right  time,  you  will  have  the  colors  pro- 
perly located. 


9 


130 


HELIOCHROMY. 


The  fact,  however,  is  an  interesting  one ; and  it  led  me  into 
many  experiments.  These  I will  endeavor  to  describe  as  cor- 
rectly and  concisely  as  possible. 

Experiment  1. — Iodize  a plate  to  a bright  cherry,  or  violet, 
superpose  a colored  print,  or  place  it  in  the  Camera,  focussed  on 
a colored  object.  The  effect  is  as  stated  above  ; but  it  requires 
several  hours  of  bright  sunshine. 

Experiment  2. — Iodize  the  plate  as  above.  Then,  before  ex- 
posure to  light,  place  it  in  chlorine  gas,  until  it  blackens.  This 
plate  under  white  light  very  speedily  whitens.  Exposed  as  in 
Ex.  1,  it  is  affected  like  the  iodized  plate. 

Experiment  3. — After  iodizing  the  plate,  bromidize  it,  as  for  a 
Daguerreotype,  and  rej  eat  the  experiment  as  in  No.  1.  The 
action  of  light  is  thus  much  accelerated  and  the  effect  as  to  colo- 
ration the  same  as  above,  only  there  is  greater  harmony,  and 
the  impression  is  more  soft  and  silky. 

Experiment  4. — Remove  a [date,  prepared  by  either  of  the 
above  methods,  from  the  light,  at  any  period  of  its  exposure,  and 
place  it  over  the  mercury  box,  and  the  result  is  a picture  in  light 
and  shade.  I tried  the  mercury  at  many  different  temperatures, 
and  the  result  was  invariably  light  and  shade.  I also  tried  ex- 
posing the  plate  to  the  mercury  at  different  angles  ; but  the  effect 
was  the  same.  I thought  it  possible  that  the  molecules  of  mer- 
cury might  be  induced  to  attach  themselves,  by  impinging  on  the 
plate  at  an  angle,  in  some  peculiar  manner  productive  of  the  de- 
sired phenomena.  Alas  ! these  experiments  failed  by  the  hundred. 
I can  imagine  no  form  of  these  experiments  but  what  I tried.  I 
used  the  mercury  at  a low  temperature,  and  from  that  up  to  the 
boiling  point ; I tried  large  and  small  quantities,  from  a pound 
down  to  the  smallest  globule ; I alloyed  it  with  other  metals  ; I 
even  tried  immersing  the  plate  in  cold,  warm,  and  hot  mercury ; 
I tried  rubbing  the  mercury  on  the  plate ; and  I tried  rubbing 
very  many  alloys  of  mercury,  such  as  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  tin, 
bismuth,  platina,  iridium,  zinc,  &c.,  and  that,  too,  in  various  pro- 
portions, but  all  to  no  purpose.  Then  I varied  the  condition  of 


EXPERIMENTS. 


131 


tlie  silver  surface,  by  blanching  it,  electrotyping  it  to  a blue  and 
a white,  oxydizing  it,  roughening,  or  graining  it,  amalgamating 
it,  greasing  it,  &c. ; and,  though  the  results  were  often  quite 
curious  and  surprising,  the  colors  would  not  come. 

Experiment  5. — After  working  and  twisting  the  above  idea 
until  my  brain  felt  like  India  rubber,  I struck  off  on  a new  track. 
Determined  to  get  the  colors  from  the  iodized  or  bromo-iodized 
plate,  it  occurred  to  me  to  try  new  developers.  The  vapors  of 
various  metals  were  tried  first.  The  more  volatile  metals,  as 
zinc,  lead,  tin,  bismuth,  antimony,  molybdenum,  &c.,  were  first 
in  the  crucible.  The  yellow  tint  of  bismuth  gave  a sort  of  flesh 
color  to  the  whites ; but  beyond  this,  and  some  peculiar  effects  of 
lead,  I met  with  entire  failure.  By  my  carelessness  in  using  the 
vapor  of  boiling  arsenic  I jeopardized  my  life.  Then  came  the 
more  refractory  metals,  such  as  gold,  silver,  copper,  platina,  and 
iron.  Howto  vaporize  them  was  the  question.  I tried  the  oxy- 
hydrogen  blowpipe,  the  eliopole  lamp,  and  finally  succeeded  with 
the  voltaic  blaze,  produced  by  100  pairs  of  galvanic  batteries. 
These,  and  similar  contrivances,  I made  myself,  right  here  among 
the  mountains,  with  no  mechanics  to  aid  mo  but  a blacksmith  and 
a house-carpenter.  By  both  of  these  lights  I took  pictures,  and 
I took  them  quickly ; but  after  all,  these  luminaries  are  not  like 
the  strong,  full,  diffuse  light  of  the  sun.  My  method  of  using  the 
vapor  of  these  metals  was  to  support  the  plate  at  such  a distance 
above  the  heat  that  the  latter  would  not  injure  the  chemical 
coating.  Here  I met  with  a serious  difficulty.  The  light  of  both 
these  intense  flames  destroyed  the  effect  of  light  in  the  camera. 
To  remedy  this,  I interposed  a veil  of  yellow  or  black  cloth, 
which  would  intercept  the  light,  and  at  the  same  time  admit  the 
passage  of  the  metallic  vapor.  Out  of  this  plan  grew  another 
difficulty  : — the  cloths  would  burn  up.  To  remedy  this,  I tried 
to  make  them  fire-proof,  by  various  means,  such  as  repeated 
soakings  in  alum-water.  At  length  I found  that  three  or  four 
screens  of  platina  wire  gauze,  placed  about  half  an  inch  apart, 
answered  the  purpose  perfectly.  I placed  the  first  gauze  screen 


132 


HELIOCHROMY. 


about  four  inches  above  the  focus  of  the  blaze.  This  became  red- 
hot,  but  the  succeeding  ones  were  not  so,  and  the  arrangement 
answered  well  when  the  relative  distances  were  kept  up ; for, 
otherwise,  the  vapor  would  condense  upon  the  gauze. 

The  above  course  of  experiments  cost  me  six  months  hard 
labor.  No  colors  were  obtained  ; but  it  will  be  seen  further  on, 
that  it  was  not  lost  labor. 

Experiment  6. — I next  tried  the  gases,  and  first  of  all,  oxi- 
dizing agents,  such  as  those  of  sulphuric  and  nitric  acid.  These 
gave  no  picture.  I then  had  recourse  to  phosphuretted  hydrogen. 
This  would  develope  the  picture  in  all  the  glory  of  iridescence. 
It  would  glow  in  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow  ; bnt  the  witching 
hues  were  not  in  place.  I would  often  soliloquize,  just  to  keep 
my  courage  up,  by  way  of  a little  pleasantry  : — “ Oh,  you  naughty 
red,  you  sky-born  blue,  you  green-as-grass  green,  you  refractory 
yellow — why  must  you  always  be  after  getting  into  the  wrong 
places  ! If  I could  teach  you  to  know  your  places,  it  would  be  a 
fine  lesson  for  all  of  ye  ; but  instead  thereof  ye  delight  in  getting 
as  far  from  the  mark  as  possible.”  Even  while  thus  amusing 
myself,  and  taming  my  own  impatience,  these  colors,  like  fairies  in 
a dance,  would  change,  and  interchange  places,  in  the  face  of  my 
remonstrances,  and  in  the  very  light  where  I held  them.  Well, 
well,  thought  I,  the  gem  I seek  after  is  somewhere  in  this  crowd 
of  wonders.  So  I would  repeat  the  experiment  in  many  varied 
forms  ; and  I would  obtain  results  truly  marvellous,  and  very  en- 
couraging— when,  lo  ! — away  goes  my  apparatus — blown  up,  not 
sky-high,  but  slam-bang  against  the  whitewashed  wall,  and  every 
hair  of  my  head  pointing  towards  the  wreck.  Then  I tried  the 
less  explosive  kind  of  this  gas ; but  this  did  not  work  so  well ; 
besides  that,  too,  will  sometimes  explode,  when  you  little  dream 
of  it.  After  a long  time,  I reluctantly  gave  up  these  thrilling 
experiments — not  altogether  because  the  gas  was  dangerous,  but  I 
began  to  get  new  light,  in  respect  to  the  true  nature  of  chemical 
re-actions,  and  fixed  my  mind  and  my  hopes  on  other  agents. 

Experiment  7. — Still  pursuing  the  gas  idea,  I next  tried 


EXPERIMENTS. 


133 


developing  with  common  hydrogen.  The  results  were  similar, 
but  far  less  beautiful  than  those  with  phosphuretted  hydrogen. 
Sulphuretted  hydrogen  succeeded  well,  but  though,  like  its 
neighbor,  the  phosphuret,  it  would  give  a play  of  colors,  I cquld 
not  work  the  process  into  the  natural  colors.  The  idea  of  the 
simultaneous  action  of  a gas  with  the  light,  was  easily  executed 
by  generating  the  gas  in  the  camera,  or  conducting  it  into  the 
camera,  while  the  plate  was  being  exposed  to  light.  With  a plate 
coated  to  a green  with  chloride  of  iodine,  and  thus  exposed  to  a 
very  dilute  gas  (sulphuretted  hydrogen),  I obtained  very  fair  reds 
and  blues  several  times,  in  their  proper  localities.  It  required  an 
exposure  of  several  hours.  Thus  I went  through  the  entire 
range  of  gases.  It  cost  much  time  and  money,  and  was  seriously 
detrimental  to  health. 

Experiment  8. — The  idea  of  giving  the  iodide  of  silver  an 
undercoating,  occurred  to  me.  I tried  a reversed  daguerreotype 
coating — the  bromine  first,  and  then  the  iodine  ; the  chlorine  first, 
and  then  the  iodine.  Then  came  bromine  alone,  and  chlorine 
alone.  I next  undercoated  with  fluorine,  per-fluoride  of  chrome, 
chlorochromic  acid  gas,  &c.  I pre-coated  the  plate  with  a sort 
of  carbonaceous  glaze,  which  I produced  by  greasing,  and  then 
strongly  heating  the  plate;  and  this  surface  I exposed  to  iodine, 
bromine,  and  chlorine.  Undercoating  with  mercury,  and  exceed- 
ingly slight  deposits  of  gold,  copper,  and  other  metals,  was  also 
tried.  All  and  each  of  these  and  other  variations  of  the  idea, 
were  tried  in  connexion  with  the  developers  before  named,  but 
no  colors  appeared.  The  reader  may  think  this  was  discourag- 
ing, but  it  was  not ; for  the  many  curious,  and  often  beautiful, 
results  I obtained,  were  props  to  my  hopes,  and  spurs  to  my  in- 
dustry. While  thus  reversing  the  order  of  the  daguerreotype 
coatings,  it  occurred  to  me  to  reverse  the  entire  process.  So,  I 
faced  a silver  plate  with  mercury,  by  rubbing  a heavy  coating 
of  mercury  on  it.  This  I iodized,  &c.,  and  tried  to  develope 
colors  over  the  vapor  of  silver,  as  obtained  by  the  voltaic  flame. 


134: 


HELIOCHROMY. 


I could  produce  no  picture.  Then  I tried  the  same  process,  with 
mercury  for  a developer,  but  with  no  better  success. 

Experiment  9. — All  the  above  coatings  I tried  with  colored 
light  for  a developer.  Becquerel  discovered  that  yellow  and  red 
light  would  develope  the  daguerrean  image.  I used  yellow,  red, 
green,  and  orange  colored  glasses ; and  some  of  the  results  were 
magically  beautiful : — but — oh  i that  lut — the  images  formed 
were  mostly  identical  with  the  daguerreotype,  but  often  more 
delicate,  and  of  various  peculiarities  of  tone. 

In  these,  and  many  other  experiments  with  the  daguerreotype 
plate,  I utterly  failed  of  my  object.  I am  now  fully  convinced 
that  there  are  no  colors  in  the  process,  excepting  those  which 
are  due  to  the  principle  of  iridescence,  or  to  oxydation. 


EXPERIMENTS. 


135 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  VARIOUS  METALS. 


Tin,  iodized  and  cliloridated. — Copper,  iodized,  and  colors  developed 
with  a gas. — Pictures  in  colors  on  Brass. — Singular  behavior  of  Brass 
to  the  vapor  of  Mercury. — Lead. — Its  iodide  rendered  heliochromic. — 
Iron  and  Steel,  their  extraordinary  colorific  susceptibility. — Zinc,  employ- 
ment of  its  vapor. — Nickel,  Bismuth,  and  Antimony. — German  Silver, 
Prince’s  Metal,  and  Britannia. — Thrilling  experiments  with  their  alloys. — 
The  Alloy  Plate. — Vapor  of  Arsenic. — Iridium. 

Experiment  1. — I first  tried  tin.  This  I cut  out  of  a new 
tin  pan,  and  polished.  It  requires  heat  to  coat  this  metal  with 
iodine.  By  heating  the  tin  plate  in  a close  tin  or  earthen  jar, 
with  a little  iodine  inclosed,  I obtained  a brownish-red  coating, 
sensitive  to  light,  but  not  susceptible  of  coloration.  A cldori- 
dated  tin-surface  is  more  sensitive  than  the  above ; and  I had 
great  hopes  of  this,  from  the  fact  of  the  chloride  of  tin  being  a 
mordant.  After  repeating  the  whole  round  of  experimentation, 
I was  again  doomed  to  failure. 

Experiment  2. — Coj^er.  I coated  a well  polished  copper 
plate  with  iodine,  exposed  it  to  fl  colored  image,  and  developed 
a colored  picture,  with  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  Some  of  the 
colors  were  properly  located ; but  this,  as  I afterwards  found, 
after  many  hundred  experiments,  was  due  to  chance.  Oxydation 
and  iridescence  constitute  the  whole  of  this  process.  A very 
slight  amalgamation  of  the  surface  of  the  copper,  with  a weak 
solution  of  nitrate  of  mercury,  heightened  the  effect. 

Experiment  3. — Brass.  An  iodized  surface  of  brass  is  sen- 
sitive to  light ; but  the  parts  on  which  the  light  acts  are  not 


136 


HELIOCHBOMY. 


acted  upon  by  mercury — the  very  reverse  of  the  daguerreotype 
plate.  Hence  a picture  on  brass  has  its  shadows  white,  and  its 
lights  yellow.  The  gases,  particularly  the  sulphuretted  hydro- 
gen, develope  a picture  somewhat  like  that  on  copper,  as  described 
in  Ex.  2.  A brass  plate  made  by  holding  a plate  of  copper  over 
burning  zinc,  is  far  the  most  sensitive. 

Experiment  4. — Lead.  I polished  a tablet  of  sheet  lead,  and 
iodized  it,  in  the  usual  way,  to  a deep  yellow.  I then  exposed 
it  to  chlorine,  until  it  assumed  a blue.  This  plate  gave  a min- 
gling of  natural  colors  and  iridescence. 

Experiment  5. — Iron  and  Steel , polished,  and  iodized,  by 
immersion  in  a solution  of  iodide  of  potassium,  to  which  a little 
free  iodine  is  added,  will  give  very  brilliant  colors,  by  an  expos- 
ure of  several  days.  The  process  is  quickened  by  mingling 
muriatic  acid  with  the  iodide.  The  results  are  singularly  beau- 
tiful, the  tone  being  of  a furzy,  velvety  aspect.  My  best  result 
was  on  a razor  blade,  which  I attributed  to  the  high  polish. 
I hope  for  time  to  follow  out  this  process.  These  pictures  are 
greatly  improved  by  exposure  to  the  vapor  of  zinc. 

Experiment  6. — Nickel,  Bismuth,  and  Antimony.  On  each  of 
these  metals  I obtained  colors — but  from  the  difficulty  of  pro- 
curing good  surfaces  of  these  metals,  my  experiments  were  limit- 
ed. The  method  I employed  was  coating  the  metals  with 
sulphuretted  hydrogen,  and  then  with  bromine. 

Experiment  7. — German  Silver , Prince’s  Metal,  andBritannia. 
Surfaces  of  these  metals,  in  their  purity,  gave  but  indifferent 
results ; but  by  alloying  thenuwith  mercury — then  with  a solu- 
tion of  chloride  of  platinum — then  with  a weak  solution  of  cyan- 
ide of  silver — a compound  was  induced  which  gave  some  very 
startling  results.  With  some  plates  thus  prepared  I obtained 
very  brilliant  colors  instantaneously — but  I found  it  exceedingly 
difficult  to  prepare  the  surfaces  uniformly. 

Experiment  8. — The  Alloy  Plate.  The  last  experiment  led 
me  to  devise  an  alloy  plate,  as  follows; — I take  a common 
daguerreotype  plate,  and  polish  the  copper  side  of  it.  This  side 


EXPERIMENTS. 


13T 


I give  an  exceedingly  light  coating  of  silver,  by  means  of  the 
electrotype — -just  enough  to  give  it  a whitish  blush.  I then  pour 
on  it  a very  weak  solution  of  nitr  ite  of  mercury,  and  let  it  rest  a 
minute  or  two.  Next  I rinse  the  plate  in  water,  and  immerse  it 
in  a solution  of  cyanide  of  gold,  made  by  dissolving  100  grains 
chloride  of  gold  in  1 pint  of  water,  in  which  has  been  previously 
dissolved  1 oz.  cyanide  of  potash.  I next  expose  the  plate  for 
some  hours  in  a jar  of  chlorine  gas,  with  a view  of  completely 
penetrating  the  superposed  metals.  Then  I give  the  plate 
another  light  coat  of  silver  in  the  same  way  as  at  first,  after 
which  I polish  with  a buckskin  buff,  and  proceed  to  coat  it  with 
the  vapor  of  iodine  to  a cherry  red,  and  then  over  ajar  of  chlo- 
ride of  bromine  to  a bright  green.  This  coating,  I finish  over  the 
vapor  of  nitric  oxyde,  by  keeping  the  plate  over  the  gas  from 
5 to  10  seconds.  A singular  picture  is  produced  by  these 
means. 

Experiment  9. — A plate  prepared  as  in  Ex.  8,  will  give  a 
latent  image,  which  is  sometimes  developed  with  very  fine  colors 
by  exposure  over  the  vapor  of  arsenic.  This  vapor  may  be 
generated  by  heating  white  arsenic  in  a tube  of  Bohemian  glass. 
The  tube  must  be  short — not  over  three  inches  long.  The  vapor 
may  be  conducted  into  a shallow  jar,  and  the  plate  placed  on  the 
open  top  of  the  jar. 

Experiment  10. — Iridium.  This  singular  metal  forms  an  alloy 
with  copper  and  gold.  In  this  state  I used  a plate  of  it,  as  fol- 
lows ; I first  rubbed  it  with  a very  little  amalgam  of  silver  and 
mercury.  Then  I coated  it  with  chlorine  gas  to  a dark  green. 
This  plate  I exposed  a few  seconds  to  a colored  image,  and  no 
apparent  change  appeared ; but  on  a subsequent  exposure  over 
phospliuretted  hydrogen,  mixed  with  an  atmosphere  of  vapor- 
ized sulphur,  I obtained  colors  in  great  variety,  but  could  never 
get  a well  defined  and  strong  impression.  The  experiment  is 
worth  repeating — only,  however,  as  a matter  of  scientific  interest, 
as  the  rarity  of  the  metal — Iridium — would  prevent  an  extensive 
practical  application  of  the  process. 


138 


HELIOCHROMY. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  THE  SALTS  OF  THE  METALS. 

Nitrate  of  Silver. — Great  variety  of  processes  by  its  means. — White  Chlo- 
ride of  Silver. — Colored  by  the  red  ray. — Violet  Chloride  of  Silver. — 
Its  remarkable  properties. — Chloro-Chromate  of  Silver — for  Helio- 
chromes on  Paper. — How  developed. — Colors  strengthened  by  Hj'posul- 
phite  of  Gold. — Chromate  of  Copper — for  Heliochromes  in  Red,  Orange, 
Yellow,  and  Green. — Singular  mode  of  developement. — Per-Manganate  of 
Potash — A “ Chameleon  ” under  Colored  Light. — Chloride  of  Barium — 
its  extraordinary  Colorific  effects. — Process  with  Silica. — Fluoride  of  Cal- 
cium and  Precipitated  Silver. 

Section  1. — Among  the  ‘-'salts  of  the  metals,”  . nitrate  of  sil- 
ver stands  at  the  head  of  the  list,  for  its  utility  as  the  foundation 
of  a great  number  of  processes.  In  forming  other  compounds  of 
the  metal,  by  mutual  decomposition  ; in  producing  oxydized  and 
silver  surfaces,  by  reduction  ; and  as  a direct  wash  for  paper,  and 
other  substances,  as  well  as  for  its  usefulness  when  in  a state  of 
excess,  there  is  no  question  of  its  indispensable  character.  The 
particular  facts  which  established  this  view  of  the  great  impor- 
tance of  this  salt  are  abundant  in  the  course  of  this  volume. 

Section  2. — Chloride  of  Silver.  There  are  several  varieties 
of  this  salt.  I will  first  notice  the  white  chloride,  formed  by 
mixing  a solution  of  nitrate  of  silver  and  a chloride,  as  common 
salt,  which  is  a chloride  of  soda.  On  exposing  this  to  the  color- 
ed rays,  we  are  at  once  struck  with  the  invariable  fact  that  the 
red  ray  tints  it  its  own  color.  The  fact  was  known  long  time 
ago — but  of  this  I was  not  aware  when  it  turned  up  in  the  course 
of  my  experiments.  Any  person  can  test  this  fact  in  a very  simple 
way.  Soak  for  two  or  three  minutes,  a piece  of  paper  in  a solu- 


EXPERIMENTS. 


139 


tion  of  chloride  of  soda  10  grs.  to  1 oz.  water,  and  dry.  Then 
float  it  for  five  or  ten  minutes  on  a solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  50 
or  60  grs  to  2 oz.  water.  Cover  a portion  of  this  with  a red 
glass — or  a piece  of  white  glass,  covered  with  some  transparent 
red  fluid,  as  carmine  dissolved  in  ammonia ; and  leave  the  other 
portions  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  white  light  for  several 
hours.  The  latter  portion  of  the  paper  will  be  blackened,  while 
the  former  portion  of  it  will  be  reddened.  It  cannot  be  doubted 
that  this  is  a very  remarkable  fact,  and  is  the  natural  color,  if  not 
the  natural  colors. 

Ho  n Silver  is  another  variety  of  the  chloride.  It  is  made 
by  simply  melting  the  chloride.  In  this  state  it  may  be  formed 
into  a beautiful  tablet,  by  pouring  a layer  of  it  on  a polished  sur- 
face, as  glass.  This  tablet,  exposed  to  the  colored  spectrum,  is 
reddened  much  more  strongly  than  the  white  chloride.  Besides, 
it  is  tinted  blue  by  the  blue  ray,  and  sometimes  yellow  and  green, 
by  yellow  and  green  light. 

The  Violet  Chloride  of  Silver  is  a still  more  remarkable  sub- 
stance. This  may  be  produced  by  immersing  a silver  plate  in  a 
chloride,  as  that  of  copper,  iron,  or  nickel,  to  the  solution  of 
which  has  been  added  some  hydrochloric  acid.  Or,  the  white 
chloride  may  be  converted  into  this  by  immersing  it  in  the  above 
acid,  warmed  slightly,  for  several  hours.  This  violet  chloride  of 
silver,  properly  managed,  will  give  all  the  colors  of  the  spec- 
trum. I discovered  this  fact  long  before  M.  Niepce  de  Saint  Victor 
announced  his  discovery.  The  way  I arrived  at  the  discovery 
was  as  follows  : For  the  purpose  of  experiment  merely,  I cov- 

ered a daguerreotype  with  a solution  of  chloride  of  copper,  and 
applied  heat.  The  result  was  a beautiful  ruby  red  coating  over 
the  daguerreotype,  but  so  transparent  that  it  did  not  dim  the 
picture  to  any  great  extent.  This  picture  was  afterwards  expos- 
ed in  a window,  and  turned  white.  I took  the  hint — that  is,  I 
noted  that  the  surface  was  photogenic,  but  I did  not  dream  of 
its  being  heliochromic.  I superposed  upon  another  plate,  pre- 
pared in  the  same  way,  an  engraving  (and  it  happened  to  be  a 


140 


HELIOCHROMY. 


colored  one),  and  having  exposed  the  arrangement  to  light  I ob- 
tained a colored  picture.  The  best  way  to  conduct  this  experi- 
ment is  to  coat  a plate  as  for  taking  a daguerreotype.  Expose 
in  a camera  pointed  to  a white  sheet,  as  long  as  you  would  to 
obtain  a daguerreotype,  mercurialize,  and  gild  as  usual.  Then 
immerse  the  plate  in  the  chloride,  until  it  turns  a dark  maroon 
color,  rinse  in  plenty  of  water,  and  heat  the  plate  until  the  coat- 
ing assumes  a bright  ruby  red.  Several  of  the  daguerreotypes 
originally  treated  as  above  are  still  in  my  possession.  The  col- 
ors thus  obtained  are  much  better  than  those  obtained  by  the  af- 
terwards discovered  method  of  St.  Victor.  A thorough  investi- 
gation  of  this  matter  would  satisfy  any  reasonable  person  of  my 
claim  to  priority  in  this  matter  of  chloridizing  a silver  plate.  St. 
Victor’s  originality,  as  far  as  I am  concerned,  I freely  concede, 
but  I totally  deny  his  priority.  To  show  the  sincerity  of  this 
assertion,  I have  made  oath  to  it,  as  the  subjoined  will  indicate. 

State  of  New  York,  \ 

Toicn  <f  Lexington,  > ss. 

Greene  County , ' 

Before  me,  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  of  the  County  of 
Greene,  personally  appeared  Levi  L.  Hill,  and  being  duly  sworn, 
says  that  he  made  tbe  above  discovery  of  a method  of  chloridiz- 
ing a silver  plate  several  months  previous  to  the  publication  of 
M.  Niepce  de  St.  Victor’s  process  of  chloridizing  a silver  plate. 

LEVI  L.  HILL. 

Sworn  to  this  6th  day  of  May,  1856, 

ADAM  MONTROSS,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Section  3. — Chloro- Chromate  of  Silver.  Dissolve  20  grs. 
common  salt  and  30  grs.  of  bi-chromate  of  potash  in  1 oz.  of 
water.  Wash  one  side  of  paper  with  this  solution,  and  let  it  dry. 
Then  float  one  side  of  the  sheet  for  a few  seconds  on  a bath  of 
nitrate  of  silver  of  the  strength  of  three  grains  to  the  ounce  of 
water.  Float  for  a few  seconds  only,  and  dry  in  a dark 


EXPERIMENTS . 


141 


room.  Now  repeat  the  washing  with  the  saline  solution,  omitting 
the  bi-chromate  of  potash.  Dry,  and  float  on  a bath  of  nitrate 
of  silver,  60  grs.  to  the  oz.  of  water,  for  five  minutes.  Dry.  All 
these  operations,  excepting  the  first  washing,  must  he  done  by 
the  light  of  a distant  candle.  After  exposure  to  a colored  image, 
for  a few  seconds,  apply,  by  the  light  of  a candle,  a wash  made 
as  follows : — 

1 oz.  walnut  shucks,  dried  and  pulverized,  and  macerated  48 
hours  in  8 oz.  water. 

Add  to  this 

2 grs.  pyro-gallic  acid, 

4 oz.  acetic  acid — crystallizable, 

4 drops  oil  of  cloves,  and  4 drops  oil  of  cassia,  dissolved 
in  4 oz.  alcohol. 

After  the  picture  is  developed,  it  should  he  washed  in  water, 
and  then  soaked  in  the  following  bath  until  a decided  strength- 
ening of  the  colors  results : 

Sel  d’or,  20  grs. 

Water,  1 pint. 

Muriatic  acid,  1 drachm. 

To  fix  these  pictures  a brief  immersion  in  very  weak  ammonia, 
and  subsequent  washing  in  water,  is  all  that  is  necessary. 

Section  4. — Chromate  of  Copper.  Dissolve  1 drachm  sul- 
phate of  copper  in  1 oz.  of  water.  Add  to  this  half  an  oz.  of  a 
saturated  solution  of  bi-cliromate  of  potash.  Float  one  side  of 
paper  on  this  solution,  and  dry  in  the  dark.  Expose  to  a colored 
image  until  a strong  negative  picture  is  formed.  Then  the  parts 
in  red  are  to  be  touched  with  a camel’s  hair  brush  wet  with  a 
strong  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver — say  100  grains  to  the  oz.  of 
water.  The  parts  in  orange  and  yellow  are  to  be  touched  with 
weaker  solutions  of  the  nitrate.  The  greens  are  brought  out  by 
several  washes  of  the  part  with  warm  ammonia.  With  a little 
practice  and  dexterity  very  fine  results  may  be  obtained  by  this 
process.  To  fix  these  pictures,  soaking  in  water  is  sufficient. 

Section  5. — Permanganate  of  Potash.  Dissolve  100  grs.  of  this 


142 


HELIOCHROMY. 


curious  salt  in  4 oz.  water.  Apply  a wash  of  it  to  paper  previously 
dipped  in  a strong  solution  of  fish  glue  and  dried.  Dry  rapidly,  by 
holding  it  before  a fire.  Then  wash  the  paper  with  a solution  of  10 
grs.  nitrate  of  silver  in  1 oz.  water,  to  which  has  been  added  1 
drop  of  liquid  ammonia,  and  2 drops  strong  solution  of  bitumen 
of  Judea  in  oil  of  lavender.  This  last  wash  should  be  applied,  and 
the  paper  dried  in  a candle-lighted  room.  The  paper  in  this  state 
will  remain  good  a long  time  if  kept  in  darkness.  When  required 
for  use  apply  a second  wash  of  The  above  described  silver  solu- 
tion, dry,  and  expose  to  a colored  image  until  the  picture  is 
formed.  In  this  process  the  glue,  singular  as  the  fact  may  appear, 
plays  an  important  part,  for,  on  ordinary  paper,  the  same  chemi- 
cals will  not  give  coloration.  The  compound  of  the  alkaline 
silver  solution,  the  bitumen,  the  essential  oil,  and  the  glue,  is  some- 
how productive  of  a molecular  arrangement  favorable  to  colora- 
tion ; and  the  manganese  salt  used  (sometimes  called  “ chame- 
leon mineral,”  owing  to  the  variety  of  colors  afforded  by  its 
solutions),  is  in  some  way  I cannot  explain  essential  to  the  effect. 

Section  6. — Chloride  of  Barium.  This  is  another  of  those 
metallic  salts  which  have  peculiar  colorific  properties.  It  has 
long  been  noticed  that  the  tone  of  common  photographs  is  singu- 
larly enriched  by  salting  the  paper  with  chloride  of  barium.  The 
following  process  has  given  me  some  beautiful  results.  I float 
paper  a few  minutes  on  a solution  of  chloride  of  barium — 40  grs. 
to  1 oz.  of  water  and  1 oz.  of  strong  solution  of  gelatin.  I 
then  dry  the  paper  until  the  gelatin  surface  becomes  tacky,  or 
until  dry,  and  float  it  five  or  six  minutes  on  a solution  of  nitrate 
of  silver — 100  grains  to  1 oz.  water.  This  paper  is  quite  sensi- 
tive if  used  wet,  and  will  give  red,  blue,  and  sometimes  yellow 
and  green.  It  requires  a long  time  in  the  camera.  For  this 
purpose  it  may  be  kept  wet  by  placing  it  between  two  plates  of 
glass.  Another  way  to  obtain  coloration  on  this  paper,  is  to 
blacken  the  whole  sheet  in  sun-light,  bleach  out  the  blackening 
in  a solution  of  chloride  of  copper  (observing  to  do  the  latter 
in  a shaded  room),  and  exposing  to  a colored  image  while 


EXPERIMENTS. 


143 


the  paper  is  still  wet.  Or  if  this  paper  is  dried  and  then  wet 
with  essence  of  cloves,  it  will  work  very  quick  and  give  better 
results. 

Section  7. — Silica , Fluoride  of  Calcium , and  Precipitated  Sil- 
ver. If  these  are  mixed  in  about  equal  bulks,  and  about  one-half 
their  whole  weight  of  sulphuric  acid  added,  there  results  a com- 
bination of  singular  colorific  properties.  The  mixture  should  be 
intimately  blended  with  wheat  flour  paste,  and  spread  on  paper 
or  glass.  After  a protracted  exposure  to  a colored  image,  a 
picture  tinted  in  natural  colors  is  produced.  But  if  the  latent 
colored  image,  formed  by  a much  shorter  exposure,  is  developed, 
by  immersion  in  a very  dilute  solution  of  ammonio-cliloride  of 
copper,  a much  better  picture  results. 


144 


HELIOCHROMY. 


CHAPTER  X. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  VEGETABLE  JUICES. 


Red  rose, violet,  marigold, dandelion,  dahlia,  poppy,  and  peony,  their  coloring 
matter  imparted  to  paper,  sensitive  to  their  colored  rays. — Otto  of  rose  an 
accelerator. — Instantaneous  colored  impressions  on  collodion,  impregnated 
with  the  spirituous  extract  of  the  coloring  matter  of  red  poppy,  clover 
blows,  horse-chestnut  leaves,  etc. — Means  of  acceleration  by  sulphuretted 
air. — The  heliochromy  of  the  autumnal  tints  imitated. — Xanthophyl. — The 
coloring  matter  of  leaves  acted  upon  simultaneously  by  a freezing  mixture 
and  light. — The  coloring  matters  of  the  blood  beet,  carrot,  and  red  cabbage, 
give  pictures  in  red,  blue,  yellow,  and  green. — Interesting  results  with  the 
red  tomato,  strawberries,  and  collodion — Red  top  grass. — Potato  starch 
and  poke  berries. — Bitter-sweet,  blackberries,  squawberries,  and  muriate 
of  tin. — Alum  as  a mordant  for  vegetable  colors. 

Section  1. — Take  a small  handful  of  the  leaves  of  the  red 
rose,  violet,  marigold,  dandelion,  dahlia,  poppy,  and  peony,  and 
mash  them  in  an  earthen  mortar  with  about  half  a pint  of  alcohol. 
Do  this  by  the  light  of  a candle  only.  Strain  off  the  colored 
liquid,  and  keep  it  well  corked  in  a glass  bottle,  in  a dark  and 
cool  place.  In  this  way  it  may  be  kept  good  for  months.  To 
use  it,  spread  one  side  of  paper  with  it,  let  the  paper  dry,  and 
then  spread  it  with  alcoholic  tincture  of  otto  of  rose — say  one 
drop  of  the  pure  otto  to  half  an  ounce  of  alcohol.  Let  the  paper 
dry  spontaneously,  and  it  is  ready  for  use.  It  requires  a pro- 
longed exposure  to  the  colored  rays,  but  the  resulting  pictures 
are  strikingly  delicate  and  beautiful. 

Section  2. — Take  equal  parts  of  red  poppy,  clover  blows, 
horse-chestnut  leaves,  or  the  flowers  named  in  the  preceding 
section,  and  make  an  alcoholic  tincture  of  their  coloring  matter, 


EXPERIMENTS. 


145 


as  directed  above.  Add  a few  drops  of  this  to  plain  collodion, 
coat  a glass  in  the  usual  way,  instantly  expose  to  a colored 
image  for  a second  or  two,  and  develope  by  immersing  tlie  glass 
in  an  alcoholic  tincture  of  gallic  acid,  to  which  enough  ammonia 
has  been  added  to  slightly  redden  the  solution.  This  process  is 
uncertain,  but  it  is  well  worth  further  experiment. 

Both  of  the  above  processes  are  quickened,  by  the  addi- 
tion to  the  first  wash  of  a little  otto  of  rose,  or  by  sulphuret- 
ting  the  air  of  the  camera  box  by  means  of  a few  drops  of  sul- 
phurous acid,  or,  what  is  equally  good,  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 
A small  vial  of  liydrosulphuret  of  ammonia,  left  open  in  the 
camora  box,  answers  very  well. 

Section  3. — The  heliochromy  of  the  autumnal  tints  may  be 
imitated  by  impregnating  paper  with  the  expressed  juice  of 
leaves,  grasses,  &c.  (See  Xanthophyl.)  The  best  way  is  to 
expose  the  wet  paper  to  light  and  a powerful  freezing  mixture, 
simultaneously,  a mixture  of  salt  and  ice  answers  well.  The 
paper  may  be  laid  between  two  plates  of  glass,  and  the  freezing 
mixture  held  against  the  back  glass,  while  the  front  glass  is  ex- 
posed to  a colored  image.  Or,  the  back  glass  may  be  subjected 
to  a continuous  stream  of  sulphuric  ether,  which  will  cause  the 
chlorophyl  to  freeze.  If  the  process  is  conducted  expertly,  and 
the  two  actions  are  simultaneous,  you  will  frequently  succeed  in 
producing  remarkable  evidence  of  colorific  action. 

Section  4. — A mixture  of  the  coloring  matter  of  blood  beet, 
carrot,  and  red  cabbage,  imparted  to  paper,  gives  pictures  in  red, 
blue,  yellow,  and  green ; but  the  process  is  slow,  and  the  results 
not  very  good. 

Section  5. — The  juice  of  red  tomato,  or  that  of  strawberries, 
gives  remarkable  results  when  mixed  in  suitable  proportions  with 
plain  collodion,  slightly  tinctured  with  iodide  of  silver.  The 
coloring  matter  should  be  extracted  by  alcohol,  without  much 
bruising  of  the  fruit,  as,  in  the  latter  case,  you  get  so  much 
water  as  to  spoil  the  collodion. 

Section  6. — Red  Top  Grass.  The  alcoholic  tincture  of  the 

10 


HELIOCHROMY. 


146 

red  tops  of  this  grass,  imparted  to  paper,  will  give  good  red  and 
blue,  and  sometimes  all  the  colors.  So,  also,  a mixture  of  freshly 
prepared  potato  starch  and  pokeberry  juice,  will  sometimes 
give  good  results ; but  both  processes  are  very  slow,  and  I could 
never  quicken  them. 

Section  7. — Bittersweet,  blackberries,  and  squawberries,  form 
a remarkable  compound.  Equal  parts  of  their  juices  mixed,  and 
imparted  to  paper  previously  soaked  in  dilute  muriate  of  tin, 
have  given  me  very  brilliant  colors. 

Section  8. — I have  found,  in  all  these  processes,  great  im- 
provement by  a first  soaking  of  the  paper  in  weak  alum  water. 
It  seems  almost  to  act  as  a mordant. 


SILVERING  PAPER. 


117 


CHAPTER  XI. 

NATURAL  COLORS  ON  PAPER. 


Several  methods  of  Silvering  Paper. — Tlydrogen  Gas  and  Chloridated  Paper. 

— Chromate  of  Copper  Paper:  how  developed. — Interesting  process  with 

Chameleon  Mineral,  Chromate  of  Potash,  Alum,  and  Nitrate  of  Silver. — 

Litmus  Paper  rendered  Ileliochromie. — Paper  Heliochromes  intensified. 

1.  Silvering  Paper. — Soak  paper  in  a solution  of  nitrate  of 
silver,  of  the  strength  of  100  grains  to  1 oz.  of  water.  While 
moist,  expose  it  in  a jar  of  hydrogen  gas  or  of  phosphuretted 
ether,  until  the  silver  is  reduced.  If  well  done  the  paper  will 
have  a soft,  silvery  aspect,  universally  spread  over  its  surface. 
A second  soaking  and  exposure  to  the  gas  may  be  necessary. 
Another  method  is  to  soak  paper  in  the  above  solution  of  nitrate 
of  silver,  and  expose  it  while  wet  to  direct  sunshine,  until  the 
reducing  process  is  effected.  Or  you  may  soak  paper  in  iodide 
of  potassa,  five  or  ten  grains  to  the  ounce  of  water,  dry,  and  soak 
in,  or  wash  with  the  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver.  Expose  this 
for  a second  to  diffuse  light,  and  reduce  the  surface  to  the 
metallic  state  by  soaking  in  a solution  of  proto-sulphate  of  iron, 
twenty  grains  to  one  ounce  of  water.  In  all  the  above  processes 
the  effect  is  better  if  the  paper  is  previously  glazed  with  a strong 
solution  of  fish  glue.  And  strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  glue 
has  a powerful  influence  upon  the  subsequent  coloration. 

2.  Papers  prepared  as  above,  may  be  submitted  wet  to  chlorine 
gas,  in  the  jar  containing  a few  drops  of  hydrofluoric  acid.  Or 
it  may  be  soaked  in  a well  filtered  solution  of  chloride  of  lime, 
to  which  some  solution  of  blue  vitriol  and  a little  muriatic  acid 


148 


HELIOCHROMY . 


has  been  added.  The  soaking  should  be  very  brief,  and  the 
paper  rinsed  in  abundance  of  water,  and  dried. 

3.  Hydrogen  Gas  and  Chloridated  Paper. — If  after  a sheet  of 
paper  is  impregnated  with  chloride  of  silver,  by  washing  with 
solution  of  common  salt  or  other  chloride,  and  then  after  drying 
with  nitrate  of  silver,  it  is  exposed  to  hydrogen  gas,  it  acquires 
the  property  of  being  tinted  by  the  colored  rays.  It  is  very 
curious  that  this  effect  is  greatly  heightened  and  accelerated  by 
placing  over  the  jar  of  hydrogen  a deep  red  glass,  and  exposing 
the  arrangement  to  sunlight.  A good  method  is  to  wet  the 
paper,  and  lay  it  on  the  under  side  of  the  glass.  In  this  way 
red  sunlight  will  strike  every  part  of  the  paper. 

4.  Chromate  of  Copper  Paper. — Mix  1 oz.  of  a saturated  solu- 
tion of  bi-chromate  of  potash  with  2 drs.  of  sulphate  of  copper, 
dissolved  in  1 oz.  of  water.  After  shaking,  filter  the  solution, 
and  wash  paper  with  the  same.  Dry  and  expose  to  a colored 
image,  until  a negative  image  appears,  and  develope  by  means  of 
washing  different  parts  with  solutions  of  nitrate  of  silver  of 
different  strengths.  In  this  way  you  will  produce  a great  range 
of  colors,  from  light  yellow  to  a deep  red.  This  process  is 
decidedly  pretty,  and  really  beautiful  pictures  may  be  obtained 
by  taking  some  pains. 

5.  The  “ Chameleon  process .” — Soak  paper  in  a weak  solution 
of  “ Chameleon  mineral,”  dry  ; soak  in  a half  saturated  solution 
of  bi-chromate  of  potash ; dry ; soak  in  a strong  solution  of 
alum  ; dry  ; soak  in  a solution  of  nitrate  of  silver — one  grain  to 
an  ounce  of  water — and  dry.  This  paper,  if  the  proportions 
are  proper,  affords  interesting  effects.  The  process  is  very 
slow. 

5.  The  common  blue  litmus  paper  gives  evidence  of  colorific 
properties,  after  treatment,  first,  with  muriatic  acid,  and  then 
with  nitrate  of  silver.  After  the  picture  is  formed,  a character- 
istic effect  is  produced  by  touching  parts  of  the  image  with  a 
solution  of  carbonate  of  soda.  The  effect  may  be  varied  by 


PAPER  HELIOCHROMES  INTENSIFIED. 


149 


using  a variety  of  alkalies,  as  potash,  hyposulphite  of  soda, 
ammonia,  &c. 

I have  invariably  found  that  these  pictures  may  be  greatly  in- 
tensified by  immersion  in  a hath  of  sel  d’or  (hyposulphite  of 
gold),  after. which,  long  soaking  in  water  fixes  the  images. 


150 


HELIOCHROMY. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HELIOCHROMES  ON  TEXTILE  FABRICS. 

Beautiful  process  on  Cotton  Cloth,  Linen,  or  Silk,  applied  to  the  manufacture 
of  Window  Shades,  and  other  Transparencies,  in  Colors. — Silk  prepared  with 
Nitrate  of  Silver  and  Per-muriate  of  Tin,  and  the  picture  developed  with  a 
compound  of  Chromic  Acid. 

1.  Nothing  can  exceed  in  beauty  some  results  I have  obtained 
on  cotton  cloth,  linen,  silk,  velvet,  wood,  and  ivory.  I proceed 
substantially  as  follows,  viz  : — I first  imbue  the  substance  with 
hot  fisli  glue,  and  dry.  Then  I immerse  it  in  a solution  of  sal 
ammoniac — ten  grains  to  one  ounce  of  water,  and  dry.  It  is  then 
ready  for  the  nitrate  of  silver  bath,  which  should  be  of  the 
strength  of  100  grs.  to  1 oz.  of  water.  It  is  better  to  soak  the 
article  in  this  solution  gently  warmed.  While  wet,  expose  for 
one  or  two  seconds  to  diffuse  light,  and  then  immerse  in  a solution 
of  proto-sulphate  of  iron,  40  grs.  to  1 oz.  of  water.  Rinse  in 
water,  and  soak  for  a few  minutes  in  a solution  of  cyanide  of 
potash — 5 grs.  to  1 oz.  of  water.  Rinse,  dry,  and  immerse  for  a 
few  seconds  only,  in  a solution  of  1 oz.  of  sulphate  of  copper, 
and  dry.  Then  immerse  in  muriatic  acid,  diluted  with  five  parts 
of  water,  rinse,  dry,  and  heat  the  article  until  it  takes  on  a red- 
dish brown  hue.  It  is  then  ready  to  receive  a superposed  colored 
picture,  which  must  be  pressed  closely  upon  it  by  a plate  of  glass, 
and  exposed  to  direct  sunshine  for  a period  ranging  from  five 
minutes  to  half  an  hour.  Soaking  in  water,  to  which  a very 
little  ammonia  is  added,  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  fix  the  pictures. 
2.  White  silk,  sensitized  with  muriate  of  tin  and  nitrate  of 


HELIOCHROMIES  ON  TEXTILE  FABRICS. 


151 


silver,  is  susceptible  of  lively  coloration,  by  a mucli  shorter 
exposure  to  light. 

3.  The  chromate  of  copper  process  described  in  the  preceding 
chapter,  may  be  turned  to  good  account  in  its  application  to 
window  shades,  and  other  transparencies.  After  the  picture  is 
finished,  the  cloth  may  be  rendered  transparent  by  saturating  it 
with  a solution  of  equal  parts  of  gum  arabic,  gum  tragacantli, 
and  white  sugar. 

The  chromate  of  copper  preparation  described  in  the  preceding 
chapter,  is  beautifully  applicable  to  the  same  purpose. 


152 


HELIOCHROMY. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

NATURAL  COLORS  ON  GLASS. 

Albuminate  of  Silver. — Blue  Collodion  — The  Chromates  and  Collodion. — Beau- 
tiful Silvering  of  Collodion  by  precipitation  of  the  metal. — Splendid  Scarlet 
Red. — Coating  of  Collodion  bleached  by  light,  and  giving  colors  in  great 
strength  and  purity. — Method  of  developing  these  Pictures. 

1.  Albuminate  of  Silver. — Beat  up  to  a froth  the  whites  of  12 
fresh  liens’  eggs  mixed  with  one-fourth  their  hulk  of  water.  Let 
this  settle  for  24  hours — decant  the  clear  liquor — dissolve  in  it  60 
grains  chloride  of  baryta,  and  20  grains  of  chloride  of  soda 
(common  salt),  and  strain  through  fine  muslin.  Coat  a clean  glass 
with  this  mixture  in  the  same  way  as  you  would  with  collodion. 
After  it  has  drained  a few  minutes,  heat  the  glass  over  a spirit 
lamp  about  as  hot  as  you  can  bear  your  hand  upon  it.  Let  it 
cool,  and  immerse  it  in  a hath  of  nitrate  of  silver,  made  in  the 
following  proportions  : — 

Nitrate  of  silver,  GO  grains. 

Water,  1 ounce. 

Acetic  acid,  1 drachm. 

Hydrofluoric  acid,  5 drops. 

Keep  the  glass  in  this  solution  until  the  albumen  appears  a fine 
milk  white.  Expose  this  to  diffuse  light  for  about  a minute — 
cover  the  plate  with  a solution  made  thus  : — 

Saturated  solution  of  gallic  acid,  1 oz. 

Nitrate  of  silver  solution,  10  grains  to  1 oz.  water, 
20  or  30  drops. 

This  will  produce  an  intense  blackness  over  the  entire  coating. 


NATURAL  COLORS  ON  GLASS. 


153 


Rinse  the  glass,  soak  a few  minutes  in  a solution  of  hyposulphite 
of  soda — 1 oz.  to  3 oz.  of  water — rinse,  dry,  and  immerse  the 
glass  a few  minutes  in  a bath  made  thus  : — 

Black  oxyde  of  copper  1 oz. 

Muriatic  acid  4 ounces. 

Dissolve  the  oxyde  by  the  aid  of  heat. 

Dilute  the  solution  with  6 ounces  of  water,  and 
filter. 

After  immersion  in  this  bath,  and  rinsing,  dry  and  heat  the  glass 
until  it  takes  a pink  hue. 

This  process  gives  very  fine  pictures  ; but  it  works  slow,  and 
I have  not  attained  certainty  with  it. 

2.  Blue  Collodion. — The  ordinary  collodion  may  be  blued  by 
impregnating  it  with  chlorine  gas.  It  should  be  done  by  inject- 
ing chlorine  gas  into  a bottle  of  collodion.  This  collodion  should 
be  kept  closely  corked.  A slight  amount  of  bi-chromate  of  potash 
should  be  added  to  it — say  half  a grain  of  the  salt  dissolved  in 
the  least  possible  quantity  of  water — to  every  5 ounces  of  the 
collodion.  Coat  a glass  with  this  in  the  usual  way,  and  immerse 
it  in  a bath  of  nitrate  of  silver,  50  grains  to  loz.  of  water.  When 
the  greasy  look  disappears  from  the  glass,  let  it  drain  about  one 
minute,  and  cover  its  surface  with  a solution  of  fish  glue,  and 
expose  to  a colored  image. 

3.  Silvered  Collodion. — Sensitize  ordinary  collodion,  by  adding 
to  each  ounce,  12  grains  of  iodide  of  potash,  dissolved  in  the  least 
possible  quantity  of  water.  Let  it  settle,  after  the  addition  of 
one  drop  of  muriatic  acid,  and  thorough  shaking.  Dip  this  in 
the  above-described  silver  bath,  for  five  minutes  ; expose  to  light 
a few  minutes,  place  it  on  a level  support,  and  cover  it  with  a 
solution  of  ammonio -nitrate  of  silver,  made  as  follows  : — 

Nitrate  of  silver,  25  grs.,  dissolved  in  water,  1 oz. 

Add  ammonia,  until  a precipitate  is  formed  and  just  re- 
dissolved, and  then  add  5 grains  more  of  nitrate  of 
silver  to  secure  an  excess. 


154 


HELIOCHROMY. 


To  this  mixture,  add  three  drops  oil  of  lavender,  2 drops 
oil  of  cassia,  dissolved  in  1 drachm  of  alcohol. 

After  covering  the  glass  with  this  solution,  drop  upon  it  a 
few  drops  oil  of  cloves,  dissolved  in  a little  alcohol.  Apply  a 
gentle  heat,  and  in  a few  minutes  the  collodion  will  be  saturated 
with  a coating  of  pure  silver.  Rinse  and  dry.  Pour  over  it  a 
solution  of  sulphate  of  copper,  40  grains  to  one  oz.  water,  to 
which  is  added  50  drops  of  muriatic  acid.  Rinse  and  dry. 

4.  Scarlet  Collodion. — Submit  the  plate  just  described  to  an 
oven  heat  of  about  200°  Fahr.,  until  it  acquires  a brown  hue. 
Then  expose  it  under  a ruby-red  glass,  to  direct  sunlight,  until 
it  has  a scarlet  color.  It  is  then  ready  for  the  camera,  or  for  a 
superposed  colored  picture.  By  a sufficiently  long  exposure,  you 
will  obtain  a brilliant  coloration,  almost  equal  to  what  may  be 
produced  on  plates. 

By  soaking  the  glass  in  weak  ammonia,  nearly  saturated  with 
iodide  of  silver,  you  may  develope  a picture  after  a very  brief 
exposure. 

I have  worked  the  above  process  but  little.  It  is  new.  But 
I have  no  doubt  that  this,  or  a modification  of  this  process,  will 
yet  be  the  “ ne  plus  ultra ” of  Heliochromy.  It  is  yet  a germ — 
but  in  skilful  hands  it  will  grow  up  a tree  of  mighty  branches — 
a plant  of  renown  and  beauty,  that  will  spread  itself  over  the 
wffiole  earth. 


THE  HILLOTYPE. 


155 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  HILLOTYPE. 

As  a Formula. — The  Formula  explained. — My  method  of  working  the  Formula. 

This  name — “ The  Ilillotvpe  ’’ — was  first  given  to  my'  process 
by  S.  D.  Humphrey,  Esq.,  editor  of  the  Daguerrean  Journal.  lie 
did  so  on  his  own  responsibility.  I called  it,  from  the  first,  “ The 
Heliochrome.”  Mr.  Humphrey’s  godfather-ship  has,  however, 
been  universally  adopted  by  the  public.  I am  now  to  detail  the 
process  known  byT  Mr.  Humphrey’s  cognomen,  and  will  do  so. 


I. — AS  A FORMULA. 

1.  Thoroughly  clean  a good  daguerreotype  plate,  by  means 
of  rotten  stone  and  alcohol.  Polish  with  buckskin  and  calcined 
lampblack.  Rouge  is  detrimental.  For  ordinary  experimenting, 
you  may  omit  the  polishing. 

2.  Electrotype  the  plate  till  its  surface  assumes  a deep  blue. 
The  ordinary  cyanide  of  silver  solution  is  far  inferior  to  the  fol  ■ 
lowing : — Mix  solutions  of  the  cyanides  of  silver,  copper,  and 
zinc,  in  the  proportion  of  8 parts  of  silver,  2 of  copper,  and  1 of 
zinc.  U se  two  pair  of  Daniels  batteries,  and  proceed  in  every  other 
respect  as  for  electrotyping  an  ordinary  daguerreotype  plate. 

3.  Rinse  and  dry  the  plate.  If  you  use  artificial  heat  to  dry 
the  plate,  let  the  latter  get  cold  before  the  next  operation. 

4.  Place  the  plate  on  a level  support,  and  cover  it  with  a well 
filtered  solution  of  nitrate  of  mercury — 1 grain  of  the  salt  to  20 


150 


HELIOCHROMY. 


oz.  of  water.  Let  this  remain  on  about  half  a minute.  Pour  it 
off  and  thoroughly  rinse  the  plate,  then  cover  it  with  a solution 
of  sel  d’or  (hyposulphite  of  gold),  20  grains  to  one  quart  water, 
and  let  this  remain  on  the  plate  about  one  minute.  Einse  and 
dry,  and  again  place  the  plate  in  the  silver  solution  until  it  is 
slightly  changed — say  from  one  to  five  minutes — according  to  the 
strength  of  the  solution.  Einse  and  dry,  and  buff  to  a polish, 
using  calcined  lampblack  instead  of  rouge. 

5.  Now  coat  the  plate  over  a jar  of  chloride  of  iodine — 1 oz. 
chloride  to  8 oz,  water,  until  it  assumes  a bright  pink  color.  Ex- 
pose the  plate  a moment  to  diffuse  light,  or  place  it  in  a camera 
directed  to  a white  screen  as  long  as  you  would  for  a portrait, 
and  then  place  the  plate  over  mercury,  heat  to  170°  Fall.,  for 
about  three  minutes.  Wash  with  hyposulphite  of  soda — or,  what 
is  better,  cyanide  of  potash,  as  you  would  for  a Daguerreotype 
picture  ; rinse  with  water,  and  gild  in  the  usual  way  with  chloride 
of  gold,  or  sel  d’or.  Einse  and  dry.  If  you  have  exposed  long 
enough  to  light,  your  plate  will  now  have  a bluish  light  cast,  or 
solarization,  similar  to  overdone  linen  in  a Daguerreotype. 

The  whole  of  the  above  process  will  occupy  but  little  more 
time  than  is  required  for  producing  and  finishing  an  ordinary 
daguerreotype  picture. 

6.  Expose  the  plate,  prepared  as  above,  in  a jar  of  chlorine 
gas,  until  it  takes  on  a faint  yellow  the  second  time.  Keep  the 
plate  in  this  state  in  total  darkness,  until  wanted  for  use.  It 
greatly  improves  by  keeping.  The  chlorine  for  the  above  coating 
I conveniently  procure  as  follows,  viz  : — I wet  several  folds  of 
cotton  cloth  with  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  and  place  them  in  the 
bottom  of  a deep  jar.  On  these  I spread  one  thickness  of  cotton 
flannel,  dry,  and  over  that  I sprinkle  about  a teaspoonful  of  dry 
chloiide  of  lime,  and  immediately  close  the  jar.  In  a few  minutes 
a sufficiency  of  chlorine  gas  will  be  evolved  to  coat  the  plate. 
The  action  will  be  mild  and  uniform. 

7.  Prepare  the  following  “singular  compound:” — In  a quart 
bottle  place  4 oz.  of  common  salt,  4 oz.  of  blue  vitriol,  each  well 


THE  HILLOTYPE. 


157 


pulverized,  and  add  16  oz.  of  water  heated  to  122°  to  140°  Fall. 
Shake  well  for  five  minutes,  with  the  bottle  well  stopped.  Set  it 
aside  to  cool.  When  perfectly  cold  there  should  be  a deposit  of 
sulphate  of  soda.  If  there  is  not,  place  the  mixture  in  an 
evaporating  dish,  and  by  means  of  a water  bath,  slowly  evapo- 
rate, until,  on  cooling,  a deposit  of  sulphate  of  soda  takes 
place.  Then  decant  the  clear  liquid  into  a clean  bottle  with  a 
wide  mouth.  Fit  into  the  mouth  of  the  bottle  the  beak  of  a lead 
retort.  In  the  retort  place  2 oz.  of  fluoride  of  calcium,  and  4 oz. 
of  sulphuric  acid,  and  apply  a very  gentle  heat.  The  beak  of  the 
lead  retort  must  dip  into  the  liquid  in  the  bottle,  and  the  stem 
passed  tightly  through  a well  fitted  cork.  In  a few  minutes  the 
liquid  in  the  bottle  will  become  saturated  with  fluo-hydric  acid. 
The  fumes  of  this  acid  are  intensely  poisonous,  and  the  operation 
should  be  conducted  with  extreme  caution.  When  the  operation 
is  over,  let  the  retort  cool,  and  immediately  wash  it  with  abun- 
dance of  water.  To  preserve  the  liquid,  it  should  be  transferred 
to  a gutta  percha  bottle.  After  the  transfer,  add  to  the  liquid  4 
oz.  of  pure  muriatic  acid,  and  ~ oz.  black  oxyde  of  copper.  Cork 
tight,  and  let  it  stand  at  least  48  hours,  with  occasional  shaking. 
Now  mix,  in  an  evaporating  dish,  1 oz.  of  peroxyde  of  iron, 
( common  rouge),  5 oz.  of  pure  muriatic  acid,  and  4 oz.  of  yellow 
ochre,  and  apply  heat  until  a deep  yellow  liquid  is  formed.  Fil- 
ter into  a glass  bottle,  and  add  £ oz.  of  boracic  acid,  60  grains  of 
phosphate  of  soda,  30  grains  of  per-manganate  of  potash,  oz.  of 
the  fuming  liquid  of  Libavius  (made  by  saturating  nitro-muriatic 
acid  with  tin  by  the  aid  of  heat),  5 drops  of  pure  bromine,  and  3 
grains  of  iodine.  Agitate  the  mixture  for  about  ten  minutes,  and 
add  it  to  the  other  bottle.  Shake  well  and  filter.  Place  the 
clear  liquid  in  a large  earthen  glass,  or  gutta  percha  platter,  and 
keep  it  in  sunlight  until  the  watery  portion  is  evaporated.  The 
bottom  of  the  dish  will  be  covered  with  clusters  of  brilliant,  green, 
ncedleform  crystals.  Collect,  and  keep  these  in  a well  stopped 
bottle.  When  you  wish  to  form  a bath  for  coating  plates,  dis- 
solve 2 oz.  of  these  crystals  in  4 oz.  of  water,  and  add  1 oz.  of 


158 


HELIO  CHBOMY. 


pure  muriatic  acid,  1 grain  of  bi-chromate  of  potash,  3 grains  of 
sel  d’or,  and  = oz.  of  hydrofluoric  acid.  Shake  well,  and  filter. 
Place  this  in  an  earthen  glass,  or  gutta  percha  platter — tilt  the 
platter  so  as  to  gather  the  liquid  in  one  end  of  the  dish— day  the 
plate  prepared  as  in  sec.  6,  on  the  bottom  of  the  platter,  and 
lower  the  latter  in  such  a way  as  to  secure  an  even  flow  of  the 
chemical  over  the  plate.  Suffer  the  plate  to  remain  from  3 to  10 
minutes,  or  until  it  appears  nearly  black.  This  should  be  done 
by  the  light  of  a candle  only.  Now  rinse  the  plate  freely  with 
water,  and  dry  it  off  with  a spirit  lamp,  as  you  would  finish  a 
daguerreotype.  In  this  state  the  plate  will  reproduce  the  colors, 
by  a prolonged  exposure  to  light,  as  you  will  see  by  pressing 
upon  it  a colored  engraving  by  means  of  a plate  of  glass,  and 
placing  it  in  sunlight.  Many  of  my  experiments  were  performed 
in  this  stage  of  the  process. 

8.  To  render  a plate,  prepared  as  above,  exquisitely  sensitive, 
you  have  only  to  immerse  it  a few  seconds  in  the  following  pre- 
paration, rinse,  and  dry.  In  1 oz.  of  aqua  ammonia  dissolve  6 
grains  of  gallic  acid,  add  to  this  1 drachm  hydrosulphuret  of  ammo- 
nia, ^ oz.  common  salt,  1 drachm  each  of  strong  essence  of  lavender, 
cassia,  and  cloves,  2 drachms  of  grape  sugar,  50  grains  of  fluoride 
of  potash,  10  grains  hyposulphite  of  copper,  and  a quart  of 
water.  This  preparation  may  be  used  in  a platter  like  the  pre- 
ceding. When  not  in  use,  it  should  be  kept  well  corked.  Its 
use  gave  me  a great  step  in  advance.  It  not  only  quickens  the 
process,  but  adds  greatly  to  the  strength  and  truthfulness  of  the 
coloration. 

9.  A further  great  improvement  in  the  strength  and  brilliancy 
of  the  pictures  results  from  modifying  the  coating  of  the  plate,  as 
above  prepared,  by  the  application  of  heat,  or  by  the  action  of 
the  orange  rays  of  light,  or  by  both  combined.  If  the  plate  is 
heated  until  it  assumes  a red,  it  gives  the  colors  more  brilliantly, 
and  the  whites  are  always  good.  A plate  which  would  not  give 
yellow  and  green,  will  give  both  after  being  exposed  under  a 
deep  orange  glass,  in  the  sun,  for  a few  seconds. 


THE  HILLOTYPE. 


159 


10.  In  forming  a colored  image  on  these  plates  direct,  without 
a developer,  a prolonged  exposure  is  required — from  five  minutes 
to  half  an  hour,  in  sunlight.  Your  true  way  will  be  to  use  the 
process  thus,  by  means  of  superposing  colored  engravings,  or 
other  transparent  objects,  until  you  have  thoroughly  tested  your 
chemicals,  and  mastered  the  process  of  coating.  Then  you  may 
proceed  to  the  work  of  developing  the  latent  colored  images, 
which  you  will  soon  be  convinced,  are  formed  almost  instanta- 
neously. Pliosphuretted  and  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  and  espe- 
cially a mixture  of  carburetted  hydrogen,  pliosphuretted  ether, 
and  ammoniacal  gas,  have  the  property  of  developing  these 
images.  So,  also,  with  hot  aqua  ammonia,  nearly  saturated  with 
hyposulphite  of  silver,  and  the  combined  vapors  of  burning  cop- 
per, zinc,  lead,  and  antimony.  I make  an  alloy  of  these  metals, 
and  vaporize  this  alloy  in  a mercury  bath,  heat  over  a small 
charcoal  furnace  having  a blast.  The  plate  should  he  raised 
about  18  inches  from  the  bottom  of  the  bath.  My  apparatus  for 
heating  is  an  upright  furnace,  10  inches  in  diameter.  Attached 
to  one  side  is  a two  foot  balance  wheel  over  which  passes  a band 
which  turns  a small  shaft,  and  gives  a rapid  motion  to  a fan  wheel 
8 inches  in  diameter.  The  wheel  is  in  a hollow  disc  having  an 
opening  in  its  sides  to  let  in  air.  This  disc  discharges  the  blast 
through  a tube  entering  the  furnace.  A common  bellows,  of 
good  size,  will  answer. 

The  ammonio-liyposulpliite  of  silver,  named  above,  I use  in  a 
platter,  placed  over  heat.  It  must  be  used  at  the  temperature  of 
150°  to  160°  Fahr.  The  plate  should  be  immersed  in  the  liquid 
for  a few  minutes  only.  In  this  way  I have  produced  some  very 
fine  results. 

I use  the  mixed  gases,  above  named,  as  follows.  In  a deep 
jar  I place  a few  sticks  of  phosphorus,  and  cover  them  with  sul- 
phuric ether.  The  fume  arising  from  it  is  pliosphuretted  ether. 
In  the  same  jar  I place  a small  bottle  of  aqua  ammonia,  and 
into  the  lower  part  of  the  jar  I inject  a small  stream  of  carburet- 
ted hydrogen,  made  by  mixing  in  a retort  4 parts  of  oil  of  vitriol 


160 


HELIOCHROMY. 


witli  one  part  of  alcohol,  and  applying  a gentle  heat.  The  plate 
should  be  held  over  this  mixture  for  a period  ranging  from  five 
minutes  to  half  an  hour.  You  may  observe  the  progress  by  the 
light  of  a candle,  screened  by  yellow  glass  or  paper. 

Phosphuretted  and  sulphuretted  hydrogen  (for  the  process  of 
making  which  see  chapter  on  chemicals),  I employ  in  a similar 
manner,  only  the  exposure  need  not  be  so  long. 

11.  The  final  fixing  and  finish  is  given  to  these  pictures  as  fol- 
lows : 

Dissolve  in  1 quart  water, 

30  grs.  hyposulphite  of  gold, 

15  grs.  chloride  of  zinc, 

20  grs.  sulphate  of  soda, 

1 oz.  sulphuric  acid — pure. 

Immerse  the  picture  for  a few  minutes,  or  until  a slight  change 
is  apparent.  Then  rinse  the  picture,  dry,  and  rub  it  with  a buck- 
skin buff.  A little  sweet  oil  will  heighten  the  polish.  If  you 
wish  a dead  surface,  you  have  only  to  observe  extreme  cleanliness 
in  the  whole  process,  and  omit  the  final  polish. 


II. — THE  FORMULA  EXPLAINED. 


1.  The  first  preparation  of  the  plate  has  for  its  object  the  pro- 
duction of  a peculiar  molecular  arrangement  in  the  particles  com- 
posing the  surface.  On  this  one  thing* — molecular  arrangement — 
the  whole  phenomenon  of  coloration  depends.  Those  who  work 
the  process,  are  urged  to  keep  in  view  the  fact  that  this  prelimi- 
nary method  greatly  conduces  to  the  final  grand  result. 

2.  The  “ Singular  Compound,”  described  above  I will  not 
attempt  to  explain  chemically.  I will  simply  urge  the  absolute 
necessity  of  a strict  adherence  to  the  formula,  both  as  regards 
manipulating,  and  the  character  of  the  chemicals.  Lengthy  as 
the  process  may  seem,  it  is  very  simple. 


THE  HILLOTYPE. 


161 


3.  Tlie  action  of  heat  and  of  red  light,  in  modifying  the  surface, 
is,  I think,  to  disintegrate  the  coating,  and  to  give  it  a different 
molecular  structure.  The  result  is  an  increase  of  sensitiveness  ; 
and  this  alone  would  seem  to  account  for  the  superiority  of  the 
results,  as  to  strength  and  brilliancy,  and  for  the  more  certain 
re-production  of  yellow  and  green. 

4.  The  quickening  agents  I have  named  may  be  greatly  varied. 
The  object  of  their  use  is  to  aid  in  reducing  the  silver  compound 
formed  to  that  condition  at  which  colors  are  formed.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  tell  what  the  compound  on  the  plate  is,  but  it  is  a peculiar 
compound  of  silver.  Anything  that  will  tend  to  reduce  this  salt 
to  the  state,  or  to  the  point  where  color  forms,  will  quicken  the 
process.  Aldehide  is  one  of  the  substances  which  deserve  a tho- 
rough trial. 

5.  The  action  of  the  developers  may  be  explained  in  a similar 
manner.  I do  not  suppose  that  they  produce  color,  but  that  they 
continue  the  molecular  transformation  of  the  surface  commenced 
by  the  colored  rays. 

6.  The  fixing  agent  acts  by  way  of  deoxydizing  the  chemi- 
cal surface.  It  also  effects  a partial  decomposition  of  the  surface, 
and  those  combined  chemical  agents,  such  as  Chlorine,  Fluor- 
ine, &c.,  which  would  otherwise  re-act  upon  the  picture,  and  des- 
troy. All  the  pictures  which  I have  treated  thoroughly  have 
remained  fadeless.  Those  which  have  been  carelessly  done,  have 
faded  very  much,  and  some  of  them  have  deteriorated  in  darkness. 

III. — MY  METHOD  OF  WORKING  THE  FORMULA. 

1.  In  the  choice  of  chemicals  I am  scrupulously  nice.  I set 
it  down  as  a rule  not  to  use  a single  chemical  unless  I am  sure  of 
its  good  quality. 

2.  I am  very  particular  as  to  the  clearness  of  bottles,  dishes, 
&c.,  used  in  making  and  mixing  chemicals.  A little  neglect  here 
will  defeat  every  other  precaution.  This  is  a hint  of  the  utmost 
importance.  It  cannot  be  neglected  with  impunity. 

11 


162 


HELIOCHROMY. 


3.  I am  equally  particular  in  cleaning  the  plates.  The  polish 
is  not  of  so  much  consequence  ; hut  an  absolutely  clean  surface 
is  indispensable.  What  I mean  by  a clean  plate,  is  one  free 
from  such  impurities  as  will  injure  the  chemical  effect.  I have 
found  no  materials  better  than  pure  alcohol,  good  rotten  stone,  and 
clean  cotton  wool.  If  at  any  time  you  find  a plate  which  has 
become  stained  in  such  a way,  as  that  scouring  will  not  clean  it, 
heat  it  over  a spirit  lamp,  until  it  whitens,  and  then  scour  it. 

4.  The  chemicals  I make  in  quantity — exactly  in  accordance 
with  the  formula,  as  I have  given  for  them. 

5.  I avoid  haphazard  experiments.  I make  up  my  mind  at 
night  what  experiment  to  try  next  day,  and  I stick  to  it  till  I 
have  found  the  bottom  of  the  idea,  or  till  I am  obliged  to  aban- 
don it.  No  progress  can  be  made  in  any  other  way. 

6.  I adopt,  as  a thing  of  no  small  importance,  the  principle — 
“ creep  before  you  walk.”  Hence  I begin  to  work  in  the  direct 
way — viz. — by  superposing  a colored  print,  and  exposing  until  I 
get  a picture  without  a developer.  In  this  way  I learn  whether 
my  chemical  coating  will  give  colors.  This  ascertained,  I can 
pass  to  the  developer,  the  quickening  process,  &c. 

7.  Perseverance,  I have  found,  is  a cardinal  virtue  in  an  experi- 
menter. The  moment  we  get  discouraged,  all  progress  is  at  an 
end.  I have  persevered  for  about  nine  years  in  the  face  of  diffi- 
culties sufficient  to  appal  stouter  minds  than  mine,  and  all  my  suc- 
cess has  depended  upon  my  fixed  purpose  not  to  be  foiled. 

The  foregoing  statement  of  my  formula,  its  explanation,  and 
my  method  of  working  the  formula,  I have  given  in  such  a way 
as  to  avoid  confusion,  and  at  the  same  time  to  impart  all  neces- 
sary instruction.  I have  the  fullest  confidence  in  the  success  of 
all  who  bring  to  the  process  the  aid  of  skill,  industry,  and  perse- 


verance. 


MISCELLANY. 


163 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MISCELLANY. 


My  Ambrot}’pe  Process — My  Photographic  Process — My  Instantaneous  Print- 
ing Process — My  Transparency  Process — My  Toning  Process. 

The  Ambrotype  process  here  detailed  is  my  own.  I invented 
it  in  my  own  laboratory,  before  I beard  of  Mr.  Cutting’s  success. 
It  in  no  way  interferes  with  bis  patent.  Others  have  invented 
similar  processes.  Mr.  Cutting  doubtless  invented  his  own.  But 
to  say  that  he  has  priority  over  his  fellow  artists,  is  nonsense. 
The  more  his  claim  is  examined,  the  more  absurd  it  appears.  At 
least,  I will  guarantee  my  process  not  to  infringe  his  alleged 
rights — and  I will  warrant  it  to  work  as  good,  if  not  better 
than  his. 


MY  AMBROTYPE  PROCESS. 

Chemicals  and  Fixtures. — I purchase  all  my  chemicals  of 
Edwin  Kent,  106  John  Street,  New  York.  Probably  the  stock 
dealers  generally  can  supply  the  required  materials.  The  im- 
portance of  perfectly  pure  chemicals  cannot  be  over-stated. 
One  impure  article  will  effectually  prevent  all  success.  The 
necessity  of  great  cleanliness  follows,  of  course.  A slovenly 
manner  of  cleansing  the  bottles,  dishes,  etc.,  is  equally  fatal. 
The  water  used  must  be  pure  and  soft.  Good  rain  or  spring 
water  answers  well. 

Should  any  of  my  friends  prefer  to  favor  me  with  their  orders, 
I will  supply  them  on  the  following  terms.  The  articles,  includ- 


164 


HELIOCHROMY. 


ing  a complete  outfit,  in  quantities  sufficient  for  a good  start  in  the 
business,  will  be  sent  by  express  to  any  part  of  the  country,  on 
the  receipt  of  $15.  All  articles  sent,  warranted  to  be  of  tbe 
very  best  quality.  The  following  is  a catalogue  of  said 
materials  : 

Prepared  cotton — Daguerreotype  cotton  answers. 
Sulphuric  acid — Chemically  true. 

Nitrate  potash — Refined. 

Sulphuric  ether — Concentrated. 

Alcohol — 95  per  cent. 

Iodide  potash. 

Bromide  potash. 

Nitrate  silver. 

Nitric  acid. 

Acetic  acid. 

Proto-sulphate  of  iron. 

Cyanide  potash. 

Bi-chloride  of  mercury. 

Chloride  of  ammonium. 

Enamel — for  backing. 

Black  varnish. 

Nitrate  of  silver  bath — Gutta  percha. 

Dipping  rod — do  do. 

Litmus  paper. 

The  above  articles  are  what  I furnish.  In  addition  you  will 
require, 

3 glass  funnels. 

1 porcelain  mortar  and  pestle. 

3 or  4 earthen  platters — large  enough  for  your  largest 
size  glass. 

Half  a dozen  glass  bottles — holding  a quart  each — with 
narrow  mouths — and  2 or  3 with  wide  mouths. 

1 graduated  glass. 

To  make  the  Collodion. — Pulverize  very  fine,  in  your  mortar, 
3 oz.  nitrate  potash.  To  this  add  2\  fluid  oz.  sulphuric  acid.  Stir 


MISCELLANY. 


165 


it  well,  and  after  a minute  or  two,  add  90  grains  cotton.  Masli 
this  thoroughly  for  about  6 minutes.  This  should  be  done  out- 
doors to  avoid  the  fumes.  Now  take  it  out,  with  a strip  of  glass, 
and  place  it  in  a large  earthen  bowl  of  water.  Stir  it  about,  and 
keep  changing  the  water,  until  a piece  of  litmus  paper  squeezed 
between  the  cotton  is  not  reddened.  Then  place  the  cotton  in 
the  folds  of  a clean  towel,  and  wring  out  the  water.  Next  soak 
it  in  ether  for  a few  minutes,  and  again  wring.  Repeat  this  two 
or  three  times  with  fresh  ether.  Cutting  uses  alcohol.  Or,  you 
may  spread  the  cotton  on  clean  paper,  and  dry  it  in  the  sun,  or 
near  (but  not  too  near)  a fire. 

Note. — Wash  the  acid  out  of  the  cotton  as  quickly  as  possible; 
but  be  sure  and  get  it  all  out,  or  you  will  fail  in  producing  good 
effects. 

To  Dissolve  the  Gun  Cotton. — Mix  in  a perfectly  clean  bottle 
(fluid  measure,)  95  per  cent.  6 oz.  alcohol  and  8 oz.  sulphuric  ether. 
Also  10  oz.  of  ether,  and  5 oz.  alcohol,  forms  a good  mixture. 
Pull  the  cotton  into  shreds,  add  it  to  the  mixture,  and  shake  until 
solution  takes  place.  This  is  collodion.  Let  it  settle  a day  or 
two,  and  carefully  decant  for 

Iodizing. — In  a deep  bottle,  (clean  and  dry,)  place  40  drops  of 
pure  soft  water.  Dissolve  thoroughly  in  this,  20  grains  bromide 
of  potash.  Then  dissolve  in  this  20  grains  iodide  of  potash.  If 
the  liquid  turns  milky,  add  water  (by  the  single  drop)  until  it  is 
clear,  and  the  iodide  perfectly  dissolved.  Add  8 oz.  qollodion, 
and  shake  thoroughly.  Let  this  settle  about  one  day,  and  it  is 
fit  for  use. 

Or,  mix  2 oz.  ether  and  2 oz.  95  per  cent,  alcohol — add  to  this 
equal  weights  of  bromide  of  potash  and  iodide  of  potash,  in  quan- 
tity more  than  will  dissolve.  Shake  a long  time — say  one  hour 
— or  until  the  liquid  is  saturated.  Add  the  clear  liquor  to  your 
collodion,  until  the  glass  will  coat,  by  subsequent  dipping  in  the 
silver  bath,  to  a soft,  creamy  (not  chalky)  whiteness.  This  plan 
leaves  your  collodion  clear,  and  ready  for  use.  Perhaps,  how- 
ever, the  first  is  the  best  plan  for  a beginner.  The  collodion. 


1G6 


HELIOCHROMY. 


thus  iodized,  will  turn  red,  from  the  effects  of  free  iodine.  To 
prevent  this,  or  to  restore  it  when  reddened,  keep  a strip  of 
sheet  zinc,  well  cleansed,  in  the  bottle — say  half  an  inch  wide 
and  four  or  five  inches  long.  In  this  way  it  will  retain  its  work- 
ing  propensities  for  several  months. 

To  quicken  the  collodion  so  that  it  will  work  instantaneous, 
add  to  each  oz.  of  it,  after  iodizing,  1 drop  of  iodide  of  iron,  pre- 
pared thus  : — In  a 4 oz.  bottle  place  2 drachms  of  iodine,  3 drachms 
iron  filings,  or  some  clean  iron  wire,  and  2 oz.  of  a half  and  half 
mixture  of  alcohol  and  water.  Shake  frequently  for  a day  or 
two,  or  until  the  liquid  acquires  a green  tinge.  If  the  iron 
should  all  dissolve,  add  more,  so  as  to  keep  an  excess  of  iron. 

To  Prepare  the  Silver  Bath. — Measure  off,  in  your  graduated 
glass,  the  number  of  ounces  of  water  necessary  to  fill  your  bath 
nearly  full.  Place  this  in  a large  bottle  or  pitcher,  and  dissolve 
in  it  pure  nitrate  of  silver,  in  the  proportion  of  30  grains  to  1 oz. 
water.  Saturate  this  with  iodide  of  silver,  made  thus  : — Dissolve 
30  grains  nitrate  of  silver  in  one  or  two  oz.  water ; dissolve  40 
grains  iodide  of  potash  in  the  same  quantity  of  water.  Mix,  and 
wash  the  precipitate  in  several  waters.  Decant  the  water,  and 
add  the  precipitate  to  your  silver  solution.  Agitate  for  an  hour 
or  two,  filter  (through  clean  paper,  or  cotton  wool,  previously 
wet,  and  pressed  loosely  into  your  funnel),  and  add  to  each  2 oz. 
of  solution  1 drop  of  nitric  acid.  Your  bath  is  now  ready,  and 
will  work  well,  if  you  add,  once  in  a week  or  two,  a few  drops 
of  nitric  acid.  You  can  always  test  the  acidity  of  your  bath,  by 
dipping  into  it  a piece  of  litmus  paper.  It  should  produce  a de- 
cided reddening  of  the  paper. 

Filter  your  bath  every  three  or  four  days.  Keep  it  out  of  the 
light,  as  much  as  convenient,  and  never  suffer  a dirty  glass,  or 
other  impurity,  to  enter  it. 

The  Developer. — Provide  a clean  pint  bottle,  with  a wide 
mouth,  and  place  in  it  lj  oz.  grains  proto-sulphate  of  iron,  pul- 
verized, and  14  oz.  water.  Shake  till  the  salt  is  dissolved.  Then 
add  20  drops  nitric  acid,  1 oz.  alcohol,  and  3 oz.  of  acetic  acid. 


MISCELLANY. 


167 


and  shake.  Filter  thoroughly  through  cotton  or  paper.  When 
this  works  weak,  add  a few  grains  proto-sulpliate  of  iron.  An 
increase  of  the  nitric  acid  gives  more  brilliant  tones,  but  an  ex- 
cess of  it  produces  fogging.  The  developer  improves  by  use. 

The  Fixing  Bath. — In  one  quart  of  water  dissolve  1 oz.  cya- 
nide of  potash.  In  this  dissolve  10  grains  nitrate  of  silver  and 
3 grains  chloride  of  gold.  Filter  and  keep  in  a platter  (earthen 
or  gutta  percha)  for  use.  It  should  fix  the  picture  in  10  to  20 
seconds.  Occasionally  add  a small  lump  of  cyanide  of  potash, 
but  do  not  use  the  bath  too  strong.  Or  you  may  add  strong 
hyposulphite  of  soda  solution. 

Taking  the  Pictures. — 1.  Cleanse  and  dry  your  glass  thoroughly. 
Nitric  acid  and  a little  rotten  stone  make  the  best  cleaning  and 
scouring  materials.  Mix  the  two  into  a paste,  and  apply  with  a 
swab.  Rinse  with  water,  and  dry  with  a clean  towel,  kept  for 
the  purpose.  The  best  way  is  to  clean  and  rinse  a large  number 
at  once.  Let  them  drain  and  dry,  and  when  you  wish  to  use  a 
glass,  rub  it  with  a dry  towel — frequently  breathing  on  it,  to 
assist  in  detaching  any  remaining  scurf.  Dust  it  with  a large 
camel-hair  brush. 

2.  Now  seize  the  glass  by  one  corner,  between  the  thumb  and 
finger  of  the  left  hand,  and,  holding  it  level,  pour  upon  the  centre 
a quantity  of  iodized  collodion  sufficient  to  spread  over  the  whole 
surface.  Tilt  the  glass  so  as  to  spread  the  collodion  to  each  cor- 
ner. Then  pour  the  excess  back  into  the  bottle,  from  the  corner 
opposite  the  thumb  and  finger.  As  the  corner  rests  in  the  mouth 
of  the  b.ottle,  give  it  a tilting  motion,  to  prevent  the  collodion 
drying  in  lines.  Hold  the  glass  in  the  air  for  a minute  or  two,  or 
until  the  collodion  appears  neither  wet  nor  dry,  when  it  will  have 
some  solidity,  as  you  will  perceive  by  pressing  one  corner  of  it 
with  your  finger.  It  is  now  ready  for  the  silver  bath. 

3.  Coating  the  glass  may  be  done  in  the  light,  but  in  sensitizing 
in  the  silver  bath  all  daylight  should  be  excluded.  Place  the 
eollodionized  glass  in  your  dipping  rod,  and  immerse  it  with  a 
steady  plunge  in  the  silver  bath.  Leave  it  there  about  a minute, 


168 


HELIOCHROMY. 


and  examine  it  by  the  light  of  a candle  or  lamp.  If  it  looks 
greasy,  return  it  to  the  hath,  and  move  it  np  and  down  until  the 
greasy  look  is  gone,  and  the  coating  assumes  a bluish  white, 
creamy  appearance.  Then,  or  not  long  after,  place  it  in  the  plate 
frame,  collodion  side  down,  and  cover  the  whole  opening  with  a 
clean  black  cloth  (to  shut  out  light  from  the  edges  of  the 
glass)  and  then  button  it  down  with  the  cap.  It  is  now  ready 
for  the  camera.  Keep  your  plate  frame,  cap,  and  the  cloth  per- 
fectly clean,  otherwise  it  will  soil  the  back  of  the  glass,  and  soon 
spoil  your  developer. 

Note. — Nothing  is  so  good  for  the  final  cleaning  of  the  glass 
as  a solution  of  cyanide  of  potash — say  10  grains  to  1 oz.  of  water. 
Rub  it  over  the  glass,  and  work  it  off  with  a clean  towel,  or  good 
tissue  paper. 

Developing. — Hold  the  glass  over  a platter,  and  pour  the  deve- 
loper on  one  corner,  in  such  a manner  as  to  flow  over  the  surface 
at  once  ; or  immerse  it  in  the  developer,  and  keep  the  platter 
tilting,  to  prevent  specks  from  settling.  One  or  two  minutes,  and 
a much  shorter  time  where  the  glass  has  a very  full  exposure,  is 
a sufficient  time  to  bring  out  the  image  in  perfection.  Sometimes 
the  developing  solution  will  get  out  of  order,  without  any  appa- 
rent cause.  In  this  case  you  had  better  make  a fresh  supply. 
Always  filter  your  developer  for  every  glass. 

Fixing  Solution. — Lay  the  glass  in  this  solution  (which  is  best 
used  in  a platter),  and  let  the  liquid  flow  over  it,  back  and  forth, 
until  the  picture  is  cleared.  The  milky  cloud  which  shows  itself 
under  the  operation  of  the  solution,  is  your  guide.  When  this  is 
all  gone  the  operation  is  complete.  Before  immersing  the  glass 
in  this  bath,  and  after  taking  it  from  the  developer,  rinse  it  well 
with  water.  After  fixing  rinse  again  very  thoroughly,  and  stand 
up  to  dry,  or  dry  with  a spirit  lamp. 

Bcicliing. — Pour  upon  the  collodion  side  of  the  picture  a quan- 
tity of  mastic  or  other  quick  drying  varnish,  in  the  same  way  you 
collodionize  a glass.  Let  this  dry,  and  repeat  the  operation  with 


MISCELLANY. 


169 


black  Japan  varnish.  You  can  then  place  the  glass  in  a case,  and 
cover  it  with  a mat. 

Note. — Before  applying  the  white  varnish  the  glass  should  be 
well  warmed.  In  place  of  the  black  varnish,  you  may  hold  the 
side  having  on  the  white  varnish  over  burning  turpentine.  This 
will  strike  into  the  white  varnish  and  form  a beautiful  black 
enamel.  It  has  the  advantage  of  never  cracking. 

MY  PHOTOGRAPHIC  PROCESS. 

I.  For  taking  superb  Negatives  you  have  only  to  vary  the 
Ambrotype  as  follows  : 

I.  Use  a thicker  collodion.  This  is  secured  by  using  less  ether 
and  alcohol  in  dissolving  the  gun  cotton — say  6 oz.  of  ether  and 

4 oz.  of  alcohol. 

3.  Time  longer — say  twice  or  three  times  longer — than  for 
Ambrotypes. 

4.  Leave  on  the  developer  much  longer,  as  long  as  there  is  any 
increase  of  strength  to  the  picture,  and  then  much  longer — say 
two  or  three  minutes — that  the  picture  may  bear  the  action  of  the 
fixing  agent. 

II.  For  printing  paper  Positives,  proceed  as  follows : 

1.  Select  the  best  Photographic  paper. 

2.  Pass  it  two  or  three  times  through  the  salting  solution  and 
hang  it  up  to  dry.  No  better  saltipg  solution  can  be  made  than 

5 grains  of  common  salt  to  1 oz.  of  water.  A quantity  of  this 
solution — say  1 or  2 quarts — may  be  placed  in  an  earthen  platter 
and  the  paper  dipped  a few  times  through  it. 

3.  The  silver  solution  is  made  thus  : Dissolve  2 oz.  nitrate  of 
silver  in  1G  oz.  water  ; place  one  ounce  of  the  solution  in  a sepa- 
rate vessel ; add  aqua  ammonia  to  the  15  oz.  till  a precipitate 
is  formed  and  just  re-dissolved,  then  add  the  other  ounce  of  solu- 
tion and  shake ; filter  and  place  it  in  an  earthen  or  guttapercha 
platter.  Float  the  best  side  of  a sheet  of  salted  paper  on  this 
solution  for  five  minutes  and  hang  it  up  to  dry.  In  placing  the 


170 


HELIOCHROMY. 


sheet  on  the  solution  hold  it  by  two  opposite  corners,  lower  the 
middle  first  and  press  down  until  the  sheet  lies  flat ; in  this  way 
you  will  avoid  air-bubbles. 

4.  Place  the  sheet  of  paper  after  it  is  well  dried,  the  silvered 
side  up,  on  your  printing  frame,*  lay  your  negative  on  it,  collo- 
dion side  down,  and  apply  the  springs  to  the  side  of  the  glass  ; 
then  place  the  arrangement  in  the  sun,  or  in  a strong  light,  and 
examine  it  occasionally.  When  it  is  a little  deeper  than  you 
desire  it  to  finish,  remove  it  and  it  is  ready  for 

MY  TONING  PROCESS. 

1.  Soak  the  picture  five  minutes  in  water,  then  rinse  in  fresh 
water. 

2.  Place  in  a bath  of  1 quart  of  water  and  2 dms.  aqua  am- 
monia ; watch  it  close,  and  as  soon  as  it  turns  to  a brick  red  tint, 
and  before  it  is  weakened,  place  it  in  fresh  water  for  a minute. 

3.  Remove  it  to  a bath  of  1 quart  of  water,  1 bottle  of  sel  d’or, 
and  2 dms.  pure  muriatic  acid. 

4.  As  soon  as  it  acquires  the  desired  tone  place  it  in  a solution 
of  hyposulphite  of  soda,  8 oz.  to  1 quart  of  water. 

5.  In  five  or  ten  minutes  place  it  in  water,  and  keep  renewing 
the  water  for  at  least  half  an  hour.  Dry. 

6.  If  you  wish  a glaze  on  the  finished  picture  float  it  on  a 
strong,  clear  solution  of  fish  ^lue,  and  hang  it  up  to  dry. 


MY  INSTANTANEOUS  PRINTING  PROCESS. 

Carefully  prepare  the  following  solutions,  and  label  them  Nos. 
1,  2,  3,  4. 

No.  1.  Water  16  oz.,  iodide  of  potash  80  grains.  Float  the 
marked  side  of  the  sheet,  on  this  solution  for  two  minutes.  Dry. 
No.  2.  Water  16  oz.,  nitrate  of  silver  100  grains. 


Printing  Frames  can  be  bought  of  the  stock  dealers. 


MISCELLANY. 


171 


No.  3.  Water  16  oz.,  gallic  acid  as  much  as  the  water  will 
dissolve  by  long  shaking.  Mix  a small  quantity  of  these  two 
together,  and  float  the  paper  on  it  two  or  three  minutes.  Do  this 
by  the  light  of  a distant  candle,  carefully  excluding  all  other 
light.  Dry.  In  this  state  the  paper  will  keep  in  the  dark  for  a 
long  time.  It  will  be  of  a light  yellow  color. 

No.  4.  Water  8 oz.,  nitrate  of  silver  300  grains,  acetic  acid 
half  an  ounce.  Float  the  paper  on  this  a few  minutes — from  2 to 
5 ; dry  it  off  between  several  changes  of  blotting  paper,  or  let  it 
dry  spontaneously.  It  is  now  ready  for  the  printing  frame. 

Expose  to  light  from  one  second  to  one  minute,  and  proceed  to 
develope  by  floating  the  paper  on  or  washing  with  either  No.  5 
or  No.  6. 

No.  5.  Saturated  solution  of  gallic  acid  1 oz.,  aceto-nitrate  of 
silver  (No.  4),  2 drachms.  Mix,  and  use  immediately. 

No.  6.  Water  16  oz.,  proto-sulpliate  of  iron  300  grains,  acetic 
acid  1 oz.,  alcohol  1 oz.,  nitric  acid  50  drops. 

As  soon  as  the  picture  is  sufficiently  developed  place  it  in  water 
for  a few  minutes,  and  then  in  a solution  of  hyposulphite  of  soda 
— 10  oz.  of  the  salt  to  20  oz.  of  water.  Let  it  remain  in  this  for 
10  minutes  or  half  an  hour.  Remove  it  to  a dish  of  water,  and 
change  the  water  repeatedly  for  an  hour.  Dry  and  finish  as 
usual. 


MY  TRANSPARENCY  PROCESS. 

These  pictures  are  very  beautiful  and  may  be  used  for  a vari- 
ety of  purposes.  They  are  best  seen  by  transparency,  in  other 
words  by  holding  them  up  to  the  light  and  looking  through  them. 
With  a black  ground  under  the  glass  they  show  as  negatives,  but 
a white  ground  makes  them  positive. 

These  pictures  are  the  best  magic  lantern  sliders  ever  used. 
A landscape  view,  magnified  by  a lantern  and  thrown  upon 
a screen,  has  all  the  appearance  of  nature.  The  pictures  can 
be  readily  colored  by  the  use  of  the  transparent  colors,  and 


172 


HELIOCHROMY. 


then  they  are  an  infinite  advance  on  the  old  daubs  commonly 
used  for  phantasmagoria. 

The  following  is  my  method  of  producing  these  gems.  Collo- 
dionize  a glass  as  for  a negative  photograph — that  is,  proceed  in 
every  respect  as  directed  under  the  Ambrotype  process,  only  use 
thick  collodion.  On  this  glass  procure  a good  negative  of  the 
object  you  wish  in  transparency — say  a landscape  or  living  person. 
Now  prepare  another  glass  in  the  same  way.  Have  your  nega- 
tive placed  upright  in  a strong  light — say  in  a window  so  you 
can  look  through  it.  Place  your  quarter  camera  tube  on  your 
whole  size  box,  and  focus  the  negative  on  the  ground  glass  the 
size  you  wish  the  picture,  and  insert  your  collodionized  glass  in 
the  usual  way.  Expose  a sufficient  time  to  cause  the  picture  to 
develope  almost  instantly. 

The  developer  I use  is  prepared  thus : 

Water  1 oz., 

Pyro-gallic  acid  2 or  3 grains, 

Acetic  acid  1 drachm. 

Or  you  may  use  the  proto-sulphate  of  iron  as  directed  for  Ambro- 
types ; but  the  pyro-gallic  acid  is  much  the  best. 

The  fixing  is  done  in  the  way  directed  for  Ambro types.  Then, 
after  rinsing  the  picture,  if  you  pour  upon  it  a solution  of  sel  d’or, 
1 bottle  to  25  oz.  of  water,  and  let  this  remain  on  a few  minutes, 
you  will  find  an  astonishing  improvement  in  the  strength  and 
tone  of  the  picture. 

This  is  the  whole  process.  Nothing  can  be  more  simple,  and 
as  for  the  results  they  will  speak  for  themselves. 

I have  referred  to  the  use  of  these  pictures  for  magic  lantern 
sliders.  Without  any  doubt  a collection  of  views,  portraits, 
insects,  animals,  birds,  fish,  microscopic  objects,  &c.  &c.,  could 
be  got  together  with  but  little  expense,  and  form  an  exhibi- 
tion of  the  most  interesting  character,  which  would  be  a fortune 
to  any  enterprising  person  who  would  go  through  the  country 
with  it. 


MISCELLANY. 


173 


I will  name  another  application  of  the  process.  What  could 
be  more  exquisitely  beautiful  than  these  pictures  taken  on  large 
glass  and  used  in  windows,  in  place  of  the  clumsily  wrought 
devices  we  often  see  ? They  would  sell  extensively  for  this 
purpose. 


174 


HELIOCHEOMY. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PHOTOGRAPHS. 

The  House — The  Village — The  Author. 

1.  The  House. — What  shall  I say  of  the  house  ? I have  lived  in 
it  twenty-one  years.  “ Of  course,”  says  the  reader,  “ you  must 
have  liked  it.”  That’s  true — and  I do  still,  not  because  of  its 
fine  model,  however  ; that,  be  it  observed,  is  not  exactly  au  fait. 
I will  tell  you  how  it  came  to  be  modelled  after  this  fashion. 
The  house  originally  consisted  of  a story  and  a half  and  a wing. 
The  other  main  part  was  built  in  another  part  of  the  lot,  and  I 
occupied  it  as  a printing  office.  Little  did  I then  dream,  as  I 
pursued  my  daily  toil  at  “ type-sticking,”  that  I would  after- 
wards stick  natural  colors  on  silver  plates  in  the  same  building. 
Well,  having  no  more  use  for  it  as  a printing  office  I “made  a 
bee,”  and  had  it  moved  to  wdiere  you  now  see  it ; the  skylight 
I added  afterwards.  All  told,  this  is  a very  convenient  domicile. 
I shall  soon  leave  it  for  another  home ; and  I part  with  it  as  I 
would  with  an  old  friend.  It  has  sheltered  me  and  mine  from 
many  a summer  solstice  and  many  a wintry  blast,  and  I love  it 
for  what  it  has  done  for  me  ; and  I,  at  least,  admire  this  picture 
of  it. 

2.  The  Village. — The  photograph  presents  a view  of  the  vil- 
lage from  the  mouth  of  the  remarkable  mountain  pass  called  the 
“ big  hollow.”  Those  who  have  visited  Westkill  will  at  once 
recognise  the  view  here  presented.  Westkill  is  truly  “ inclosed 
around  about”  by  mountains  ; these  mountains  are  branches  of  the 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PHOTOGRAPHS. 


175 


Catskill.  Our  village  lies  about  20  miles  south-west  of  the 
“Mountain  House.”  For  true  romantic  beauty  it  cannot  be  sur- 
passed. In  the  summer  it  is  not  only  beautiful  but  remarkably 
healthy  ; in  winter  the  climate  is  severe  and  changeable,  and  the 
whole  aspect  of  the  place  is  that  of  extreme  dreariness.  I can 
speak  of  the  society  as  being,  on  the  whole,  remarkably  good. 

3.  The  Portrait. — The  most  I can  say  of  this  is  that  it  is  a 
pretty  good  fac-simile  of  the  author’s  face.  I cannot  call  it  a very 
good-looking  phiz  ; still,  if  you  could  add  life  to  this  photograph 
you  would  see  it  is  not  so  bad. 


THE  END. 


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